Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) chided Republicans for threatening to halt progress on a government funding bill because of President Obama’s executive action on immigration.
“Even children understand that flipping the table over doesn’t help you win the game,” Murray said on the Senate floor Wednesday. “It just means someone has to pick up the mess you’ve made. And when it comes to Tea Party political tactics, we’ve done more than enough of that here in Congress.”
{mosads}Murray, the Senate Budget Committee chairwoman, said she was disappointed that some Republicans are threatening to shut down the government again “just to keep families from getting some initial relief” from the broken immigration system.
“This is the latest example of extreme Republicans creating uncertainty and threatening to hurt our economy if they don’t get their way,” Murray said. “And it’s the exact opposite of the approach Congress needs to take going forward.”
Last year, Republicans caused a nearly two-week government shut down over the funding of ObamaCare. This year, some are suggesting that any funding measure to keep the government open past Dec. 11 should include legislative language to block the president from issuing executive orders on immigration policy.
The administration is expected to issue nearly 5 million worker visas to immigrants, many of whom have children who are U.S. citizens. Obama is expected to announce his plans in a national address Thursday night.
Democrats say the administration has no choice because the House failed to take up the Senate-passed immigration reform bill that provided a pathway to citizenship, increased visas and strengthened border security.
“Administrative action is a Band-Aid, but it’s better than nothing,” Murray said. “And nothing is what House Republicans are offering.”
Murray said she wanted the president to take even further executive actions, including expanding the deferred action program for “Dreamers,” enforcing a more humane border enforcement process and helping ensure families are able to stay together.