With Congress nonetheless at a stalemate over find out how to finish the Department of Homeland Security shutdown, Senate Republicans took a key step to tee up a party-line measure funding essentially the most controversial immigration applications — and finally reopen the federal government fully.
The GOP effort to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and border patrol with none Democratic assist moved forward after a marathon in a single day session generally known as a “vote-a-rama” that stretched into the early hours of Thursday morning.
The chamber adopted the Senate GOP price range blueprint by a vote of 50-48 with all Democrats current opposed. Two Republicans, Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky, broke ranks, voting in opposition to the measure.
Next, the House must move the identical measure — and then a GOP legislative package deal funding ICE and Customs and Border Protection might want to survive a parliamentary gauntlet within the Senate earlier than one other marathon vote collection within the coming weeks.
This sophisticated course of, referred to as price range reconciliation, ought to enable Republicans in Congress to approve the funds with no need Democratic votes. Democrats have been clear that they received’t assist any future funding for immigration enforcement except there are main adjustments to ICE techniques and protocols, after two Americans have been shot and killed by federal brokers in Minnesota earlier this yr.
The Senate unanimously authorized a package deal to fund the remainder of the Department of Homeland Security weeks in the past, however House Republicans rejected the bipartisan deal, prolonging the shutdown as a result of it didn’t embrace contentious funding for immigration enforcement.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has expressed hope that Senate GOP progress toward funding ICE and CBP will make sure the House adopts it as properly. However, House GOP management has not dedicated to a timeline for funding the remainder of DHS.
Democrats aimed amendments in the course of the “vote-a-rama” at adjustments to ICE insurance policies and affordability points they argue Republicans are ignoring forward of the midterm elections.
This is a creating story and might be up to date.