The budget showdown over the Department of Homeland Security is the same old story with the same bad actors, which led the
Washington Post editorial board to pen an editorial titled: "GOP holds security hostage to immigration."
Funding for the Department of Homeland Security ends Feb. 27. Senate Republicans do not appear to have the votes to pass the House bill that simultaneously funds Homeland Security but also aims to roll back deportation relief for Dreamers and undocumented parents of legal residents and U.S. citizens. No Senate Democrats have been willing to sign on to the anti-immigrant provisions, which has left Republicans scrambling to figure out a solution or even just let DHS funding lapse. That left the Washington Post wondering:
How far will Republicans in Congress take their reckless flirtation with undermining government this time? …
Are they ready to let funding lapse, secure in the knowledge that Border Patrol officers, Secret Service agents, airport security personnel and other so-called essential employees would still have to report to work — even though they would not be drawing paychecks?
DHS has approximately 280,000 employees, all of whom would be affected if funding lapses. But head below the fold to see the employees that White House officials say will continue to work without drawing a paycheck while Republican lawmakers diddle around on Capitol Hill and continue to get paid for it.
· Over 40,000 Border Patrol agents and Customs and Border Patrol officers
· Over 50,000 TSA aviation security screeners
· Over 13,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement law enforcement agents and officers
· Over 40,000 active duty Coast Guard military members
· Over 4,000 Secret Service law enforcement agents and officers
On Monday, while unveiling his $4 trillion budget at the Department of Homeland Security, President Obama told lawmakers, “Don't jeopardize our national security over this disagreement.”
The Washington Post editorial ends with this:
On Friday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R- Ky.) announced the body would consider the House bill this week, a sign that the GOP is persisting with its game of chicken. The bill is unlikely to attract the necessary 60 votes for passage, which would require a half-dozen Democratic defections. But there is no shortage of Republican lawmakers who would rather try to antagonize the president than carry out the workday task of funding the government.
In the absence of a bill, the department’s funding lapses in less than a month. What happens in the intervening weeks will indicate whether Republicans are more interested in gamesmanship or governance.
It’s not the least bit surprising that the GOP has picked this fight. But it is rather revelatory in what it says about their ability to govern. They can’t even get a bill to the president’s desk for veto.
