Homeland Security funding bill blocked in the Senate

On Monday, the Senate failed to pass the $40 billion funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security for the fourth time in as many weeks.

Passed by the Republican-controlled House, Senate Democrats blocked the bill because it contains provisions that would defund President Barack Obama's executive orders on immigration, CNN reports. The legislation needed 60 votes to pass, but only received 47. Some Republicans, including Sen. John McCain of Arizona and Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, said Congress should agree to fund the Department of Homeland Security without the immigration amendment, which should be handled by the courts, USA Today reports.

Funding for Homeland Security ends at midnight Friday, and large parts of the agency will be closed or employees will be forced to work without pay. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson wrote a letter to employees to tell them the department was making preparations "in the unlikely and unfortunate event that Congress does not fund DHS before Friday night," and urged them to "have faith that this difficult and unnecessary situation will be resolved."

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