Sen. Sessions blasts Dems for plan to block DHS bill

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) urged Democrats on Friday to vote to at least debate a measure to keep the Department of Homeland Security funded past Feb. 27.

Democrats are expected to unite in opposition against the bill, which funds the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through Sept. 30 but includes language to defund President Obama’s executive actions on immigration.

{mosads}The Senate will vote to end debate on the motion to proceed to the DHS measure on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m., which will require 60 votes to advance.

Sessions said he’s “flabbergasted” Democrats wouldn’t at least open debate and try to amend the bill. He noted that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) allowed Democrats to get votes on dozens of their amendments to legislation this month to approve the Keystone XL pipeline.

“They’re going to block going into a bill that would fund Homeland Security. And Sen. McConnell is saying you can have your relevant amendments and if you don’t like the language the House put in that says the money can only go to lawful activities, you can offer an amendment to take it out but if you don’t have the votes, you lose. That’s the way the system should work,” Sessions said on the Senate floor.

Sessions was the only senator to deliver extended remarks during Friday’s brief session apart from McConnell. The chamber adjourned shortly after Sessions finished his speech, which lasted for nearly 40 minutes.