Press Staff Blog
If Republicans thought they found a clever way to hide the fact that they’re breaking the defense spending sequester cap, they should think again. Instead of adhering to the spending cap for FY16 (which is what they want you to think they’re doing), they’re pulling from OCO to blow right past it. Here’s a round-up of stories on this latest gimmick:
From Politico:
Yesterday, the House finally acted to fund the Department of Homeland Security for the rest of the year and provide the agency with the resources it needs to keep Americans safe. Sounds like a great thing, right? Well, not to Republicans. Take a look at their continued infighting:
New York Times: House Approves Homeland Security Budget, Without Strings
Today, former Republican DHS Secretaries Tom Ridge and Michael Chertoff had some choice words for House Republicans about playing politics with national security. Both former agency heads urged the GOP to pass a clean measure to fund DHS and then debate immigration policy separately. Our Republican friends have heard it from us over and over again, but maybe this time it will finally resonate. From The Hill:
As we get closer to a Republican shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, Members of the GOP conference are increasingly “sounding the alarms.” Add these Republicans to the list of Members who would join Democrats in acting responsibly to prevent a shutdown of DHS by voting for a clean bill:
Which one of these did House Republicans promise to do in their Pledge to America:
A. Advance legislative issues one at a time
B. Package must-pass legislation with partisan poison pills
C. Threaten to shut down the government (or parts of it) on a regular basis
As the House returns to session today – with only four days left to avoid a DHS shutdown – we wanted to be sure you saw this morning’s Washington Post editorial highlighting Republicans’ inability to govern responsibly, which is placing national security risk:
With only four legislative days left until DHS shuts down, more Republican Senators are coming out in support of immediate action to fund the Department (ie, that clean funding bill we’ve been talking about for weeks). Will their House GOP colleagues listen?
The Hill: Rubio: 'We can't let' DHS shut down
Another day, another dose of GOP infighting. The intraparty conflict continues – and worsens – as we mark two weeks until the Department of Homeland Security runs out of funding. There’s a simple way to keep DHS open: work with Democrats to pass a clean bill to fund the Department at the levels agreed to by Republicans and Democrats. But instead of taking the easy (and responsible) way out, Republicans continue to struggle with internal division:
Don’t miss today’s editorial in USA Today (full text below) calling out Republicans for threatening to shut down the Department of Homeland Security over a tantrum on immigration.
GOP infighting continues as Senate and House Republican leaders struggle to come up with a strategy to avoid a DHS shutdown before the February 27 deadline. Democrats have introduced a clean funding measure that can pass the House and Senate and be signed into law, but with only six legislative days left until DHS funding runs out, Republican leaders continue to ignore the obvious solution that would keep DHS open and ensure it has the resources to keep Americans safe: