WASHINGTON ¨C U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner on Wednesday called on counterparts in the Senate to act on legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security, which could face a partial shutdown unless the congressional funding fight is resolved by Friday.
The House is in ¡°wait-and-see mode¡± until the Senate moves, Boehner told reporters, adding that staff members on both sides of Congress have been talking.
¡°Until I see what they¡¯re going to pass, no decision has been made on the House side,¡± Boehner said.
¡°It¡¯s time for the Senate to do their job,¡± he added.
On Tuesday, U.S. Senate leaders took a tentative step toward resolving the fiscal crisis, which has become part of a Republican showdown over President Barack Obama¡¯s executive actions on immigration.
Obama has said he would veto the House-passed measure, which restricts the president¡¯s moves aimed at shielding millions of undocumented immigrants from deportation.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, in a concession to Democrats in his chamber, said he would hold a vote on a so-called clean funding bill for the department that would not block Obama¡¯s actions if Democrats agree to vote on a separate bill halting the presidential immigration order.
Without additional funding, the department faces a partial shutdown on Friday at midnight.
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