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US avoids homeland security shutdown as House passes bill | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
US lawmakers have avoided a partial shutdown of homeland security after passing a one-week funding extension just hours before a midnight deadline. | |
The House of Representatives voted 357-60 in favour of the short-term bill after it had been passed in the Senate. | |
It ensures the department's 250,000 employees will be paid while a longer-term funding agreement is discussed. | |
It will now be signed by President Barack Obama, who said he would back a short-term deal to avert a shutdown. | |
The two-thirds majority vote was reached about two hours before the midnight (05:00 GMT Saturday) deadline. | |
Earlier, Republicans had rejected a similar three-week extension after provisions against President Obama's immigration plan were dropped. | |
The one-week deal was backed by a majority of Democrats despite many of them voting against the earlier bill in the hope that a longer-term deal could be agreed. | |
The move came shortly after President Obama had spoken by phone to Democratic leaders in a bid to avert the partial department closure. | |
The Department of Homeland Security is responsible for securing US borders, airports and coastal waters. | |
About 200,000 "essential" department employees would have continued to work without pay if the agency's funding had not been secured. | |
Effects of a Homeland Security shutdown | Effects of a Homeland Security shutdown |
Some Republicans had wanted to use the funding of the department, which includes immigration officials, as a bargaining chip to force President Obama to end policies on immigration. | |
Last November, Mr Obama used his executive powers to protect about five million undocumented immigrants from deportation. Republicans say Mr Obama overstepped his powers in doing so. | |
A separate ruling by a federal judge has blocked those policies from starting while a lawsuit by more than two dozen states goes forward. | A separate ruling by a federal judge has blocked those policies from starting while a lawsuit by more than two dozen states goes forward. |
Some Republicans senators had expressed a desire to fight the execution actions in the courts, rather than threaten the department's funding. | |
The BBC's Naomi Grimley in Washington says many on Capitol Hill feared a public backlash if the funding had been thrown into doubt at a time of fears about "lone wolf" terrorists. | |
On Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson urged Congress to pass full funding. | |
"A short-term continuing resolution exacerbates the uncertainty for my workforce and puts us back in the same position, on the brink of a shutdown just days from now," Mr Johnson said. | "A short-term continuing resolution exacerbates the uncertainty for my workforce and puts us back in the same position, on the brink of a shutdown just days from now," Mr Johnson said. |
Last week, the White House said Mr Obama would prefer a full funding bill but would sign a short-term measure to prevent a shutdown. | |