Discord among House Republicans forced Speaker John Boehner to cancel a vote to approve emergency funding for the crisis at the border after it became clear that GOP Leadership had failed to garner sufficient support for the bill.
Although the proposed bill would provide $659 million in funding that was namely earmarked to strengthen border security and modify a 2008 anti-trafficking law, the most conservative factions of the GOP argued that the bill did not go far enough. Representative Paul Broun from Georgia spoke out against the bill and said “we need to get rid of DACA, and the bill itself is bad.”
Many House Republicans are wary of returning to their home districts for the August recess without passing a bill to address the crisis. House Leadership therefore decided to delay the upcoming recess by a day in hopes of reaching a legislative solution. If the House fails to pass a measure by the end of the day, representatives who are facing difficult reelection bids will likely encounter significant voter backlash for inaction when they return to their districts.
Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) urged her Republican colleagues to reflect on the many factors contributing to the crisis and, “consider the complicated policy questions and provide a carefully considered solution.” She added that “these policy changes reveal a knee-jerk response coupled with another bill to deport children who are already in the U.S.”
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