Before I kicked off our statewide radio talk show at 906 AM Wednesday, I spoke briefly with Congressman Ryan Zinke (R-MT). He told me defending the Constitution is his first priority, and that he would vote to defund President Obama’s executive actions supporting illegal immigration.
Later Wednesday morning, he did just that:
Today the House approved #HR240 which included my amendment to #DefundObamasAmnesty https://t.co/DtuxxzQtj5 pic.twitter.com/UBI0K1zzUY
— Ryan Zinke (@RepRyanZinke) January 14, 2015
Here’s the preview in the Fox News First morning newsletter: HOUSE VOTE TO BLOCK OBAMA IMMIGRATION MOVES EXPECTED TODAY
The House is poised to vote today to block President Obama’s immigration executive actions granting temporary amnesty to illegal immigrants, despite a White House veto threat. Fox News: “The House began debate Tuesday night on a Department of Homeland Security spending bill which Republicans want to use to defund and undo the president’s immigration plans…. ‘We’re voting to block the president’s overreach, his executive overreach, which I believe is beyond his constitutional duty and frankly violates the Constitution itself,’ House Speaker John Boehner said. ‘This is not about the issue of immigration. What it is about is the president acting lawlessly.’…But House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md.,…called Republicans’ approach ‘indefensible’ and ‘irresponsible.’ Democrats, and even some Republicans, warn that the effort to wage the immigration fight during debate over a DHS spending bill risks vital security funding – at a time when the department is ramping up security measures in the wake of the Paris terror attacks. Current DHS funding expires at the end of February”
NY Times: Expansive House G.O.P. Immigration Bill Undercuts the President
House Republicans introduced legislation Friday that would roll back President Obama’s executive actions on immigration, undoing a provision that would allow five million undocumented immigrants to remain in the country and one that protects young people brought to the United States illegally by a parent.
The Republican plan, an effort to appease their more conservative members, would still finance most of the Department of Homeland Security.
The core of the bill provides $39.7 billion for Homeland Security, a $400 million increase from the previous fiscal year. House Republicans plan to offer an amendment to the legislation that will prevent any money — both under the appropriations process and through any fees collected from immigration applications — from being used for any of the president’s existing or future executive actions on immigration.
Reuters: Senate Republicans cautious on US security bill, immigration fight
U.S. Senate Republicans on Tuesday said it was unclear if they could pass a Department of Homeland Security funding bill that blocks President Barack Obama’s immigration initiatives, raising an early stumbling block for the new Republican Congress.
Senate Republicans acknowledged that the measure, expected to win approval in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, may not get the 60 Senate votes needed to clear procedural hurdles erected by Democrats.