Huntsville Times - Alabama GOP Congressional Delegation Cites Immigration in Opposing Homeland Security Funding

News Article

By Paul Gattis

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security received funding to operate the rest of the 2015 fiscal year despite the votes of the Republican members of Alabama's Congressional delegation.

All six of Alabama's Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives voted against the bill that passed on a 257-167 vote. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell of Birmingham was among the 182 Democrats who supported the bill without dissent.

Alabama Sens. Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions also voted against the bill when it passed the Senate on Friday.

Alabama Republicans opposed the bill because language stopping executive orders on immigration issued by President Obama were stripped out of the DHS bill. The House originally passed a DHS funding bill with amendments that defunded Obama's immigrations orders.

A sampling of the Alabama Congressional reactions:

Mo Brooks of Huntsville: "While I am pleased that the Department of Homeland Security is fully funded for the remainder of the year, today's vote is a major loss for the Constitution and the American people who have suffered lost jobs, lost wages, and lost loved ones at the hands of illegal aliens."

Bradley Byrne of Fairhope: This is about more than just immigration. This is about the rule of law and standing up for our Constitution. We must use all the tools at our disposal to fight back against President Obama's illegal executive amnesty.

Gary Palmer of Hoover: "If Congress does not stand up for its own Constitutional role in the process of governance, no one else will. I fear this vote today will lead to further lawless action by the executive branch and further erosion of the powers granted to the Congress by the Constitution."

Martha Roby of Montgomery: "I'm beyond disappointed. Of course what the Senate Democrats did to block this bill was ridiculous and shameful. When the House and Senate produce variations of the same bill, a conference committee is formed by delegates from both chambers who meet and work out the differences. Unfortunately, Senate Democrats refused, putting the president's ill-advised amnesty plans above the well-being of the American people and before the rule of law."

Mike Rogers of Saks: "I am deeply disappointed the House passed a 'clean funding bill' today to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through the end of this Fiscal Year. The decision to surrender in the fight against President Obama's illegal executive action further weakens our attempts to restore Constitutional balance to this country."