Senate passes one-week DHS bill

by Jordain Carney - 02/27/15 8:32 PM ET

Senators voted Friday night to pass a short-term spending bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), less than four hours before the department runs out of money.

The eleventh-hour effort, which passed by unanimous consent, would fund the department for one week.

The Senate passed the bill after a push by House Republican leadership to take up a three-week spending bill failed. More than 50 Republicans voted against the legislation, setting off a hours-long scramble to try to figure out how to prevent a shutdown.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) appeared on the Senate floor to announce the one-week measure.

“I thank all senators for working to pass this one-week extension for the Department of Homeland Security,” McConnell said.

Reid added that he is “confident” the House will pass the bill.

“Progress has been made all during the day. I appreciate… the cooperation of everyone involved. I’m confident the House will pass a seven-day C.R. tonight and there will be full funding for the Department of Homeland Security,” the Nevada Democrat said.

But, Reid and other key Senate Democrats slammed House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) earlier after the failed House vote. They called on him to fully fund the department through the end of September.

“The Republican Congress has shown that they simply cannot govern,” Reid said in a statement.

Administration officials warned repeatedly this week that if the department were to shutdown, approximately 75 to 80 percent of DHS employees would be forced to work without pay, and an additional 30,000 would be furloughed.

Tags Boehner Harry Reid John Boehner Mitch McConnell