Obama Administration Calls on Congress to Pass Budget for DHS
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DHS(WASHINGTON) — The Obama administration is warning that the economy — and the nation’s security — could be at risk if Congress fails to pass a budget for the Department of Homeland Security by Friday.
“One week from today, if Congress does not act, there will be more than 100,000 U.S. Homeland Security personnel who will show up and do their job and protect the homeland, but they won’t be getting a paycheck unless Congress shows up to do theirs,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Monday.
President Obama has said he would veto a bill that included amendments overturning his immigration policies.
Earnest said on Monday that the president may or may not sign a short-term agreement to fund the DHS.
“At this point I’m not going to commit to signing or not signing anything other than a fully funded, full year appropriation for the Department of Homeland Security,” Earnest told reporters.
Earlier in the day, Obama warned the nation’s governors at a luncheon about the consequences of a DHS shutdown.
“Their hard work helps to keep us safe and as governors you know that we can’t afford to play politics with our national security,” the president said.
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