WASHINGTON — The Senate on Wednesday held a redo of its vote to move toward funding the Department of Homeland Security and blocking the president’s deportation relief — and the vote failed again.
The vote was the second in as many days on funding the department, which will run out of money on Feb. 27. This time, the vote tally was 53 to 47, with 60 votes needed to move forward.
It showed that with mere weeks to go until the deadline, the parties are no closer to a compromise. Senate Democrats proved they can remain united in favor of a “clean” bill without immigration-related measures. Republicans reiterated they don’t want to pass anything without those riders, and will vote on the measure again this week. For now, there’s no end in sight to the gridlock.
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“Is that the definition of insanity? Voting on the same bill over and over again?” he said. “I don’t know. I don’t know. I really don’t know. We’re having endless conversations about it.”
All three former DHS secretaries — two Republicans and one Democrat — urged Congress last week to pass a clean DHS funding bill, and were joined Wednesday by the the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
