The Washington Examiner — House Speaker John Boehner called on Senate Democrats on Wednesday to “get off their ass” and take up a $40 billion Homeland Security funding measure before a Feb. 27 deadline.
The House-passed measure has been stalled in the Senate thanks to a Democratic filibuster.
On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the gridlock means it is now “up to the House” to determine what to do next.
Boehner signaled Wednesday he disagrees with McConnell.
“I love Mitch,” Boehner bantered with reporters after a closed-door meeting with GOP rank and file. “He has a tough job to do, and so do I.”
When reporters repeatedly asked Boehner what the next steps will be on passing a DHS measure, he said, “Why don’t you go over and ask Senate Democrats when they are going to get off their ass and do something? The House has done its job.”
Democrats are unanimously opposed to the bill because it contains language that would curb President Obama’s use of executive authority to allow millions of illegal immigrants to obtain work permits and some federal benefits. Democrats said they will only approve the legislation if the GOP strips out the immigration provisions.
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., appearing alongside Boehner, said the Senate can send the legislation back to the House with changes if needed.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is drafting a compromise bill that would strip out part of the immigration language and leave intact a 2012 executive order that allows people who arrived here as children to obtain work permits.
But GOP leadership aides said there is little use in taking up the Collins proposal because Democrats will filibuster it.
“The Democrats have said the only thing they will accept is a clean bill,” a top GOP Senate aide told the Washington Examiner. “They’ll filibuster anything else.”
