Boehner tells Senate Democrats to 'get off their ass' and pass bill they oppose

The Department of Homeland Security runs out of funding on Feb. 27, and neither party wants to be held responsible for that. House Republicans passed a bill funding the department for the rest of the fiscal year, but adding language that would overturn President Obama's executive orders shielding certain undocumented immigrants from deportation. Democrats don't agree with that provision, and the legislation is "stuck" in the Senate, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday. He urged House Republicans to act.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is blaming Senate Democrats for the stalemate. "The House has done its job, why don't you go ask the Senate Democrats when they're going to get off their ass and do something other than to vote no?" he told reporters on Wednesday. "The issue here is not Senate Republicans."

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid's (D-Nev.) Adam Jentleson responded that "cursing is not going to resolve the squabbling among Republicans that led to this impasse." Neither McConnell nor Boehner is each waiting for the other to act, The Associated Press reports.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up