The House of Representatives passed the Senate-passed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill that gives tax dollars to President Obama’s executive amnesty on Tuesday. But the only way Speaker John Boehner was able to get the bill passed was by teaming up with Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and her Democrats.
A whopping 167 House Republicans—an astounding number—voted against the DHS bill that funds Obama’s amnesty. The vote, a clear signal of no-confidence in Boehner, came after a vigorous debate on the House floor. The debate, which saw a highly-unusual three sides, featured Democrats in favor of the bill, Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID)—Boehner’s buddy, representing Republicans in favor of the bill, and scores of Republicans opposed to the bill–represented by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY).
Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-KS)—one of the targets of recent attack ads from a Boehner-aligned Super PAC—Tweeted almost immediately that the high number of Republican votes against Boehner’s effort to provide material support to Obama’s executive amnesty in the form of tax dollars was a vote of no confidence in his leadership:
More than 2/3 of Republicans disagreed with @SpeakerBoehner and @NancyPelosi on funding President @BarackObama‘s executive amnesty #DHS
— Cong. Tim Huelskamp (@CongHuelskamp) March 3, 2015
Rep. Matt Salmon (R-AZ), an influential conservative who helped lead the opposition to Boehner, said in a statement he was disappointed in Boehner’s decision to back Obama’s amnesty.
“Today, the House voted on a bill to fund our Department of Homeland Security. In doing so, it also voted to fund an unconstitutional action: the President’s edicts on immigration,” Salmon said.
My constituents have called, they have visited, and they have written letters all asking and urging me to take action. I’ve been doing just that. This isn’t just an action that has passed through this body that I disagree with. This is an unlawful, unconstitutional order given by the President of the United States to his administration. This action deliberately sabotages our laws, allowing individuals who Congress has expressly mandated be expelled from our nation to stay, to live as citizens, and to hold jobs.
Salmon added that the bill today “has weakened our Constitution.”
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