House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio says Senate Democrats should "get off their ass" and pass a bill to fund the Homeland Security Department and restrict President Barack Obama's executive moves on immigration, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015, during a news conference following a GOP strategy meeting, on Capitol Hill in Washington. His comments Wednesday underscored a worsening stalemate on Capitol Hill with funding for the Homeland Security Department set to expire Feb. 27. A day earlier, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declared the Senate "stuck" on the issue and said the next move was in the House's court. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (The Associated Press)
WASHINGTON – House Speaker John Boehner (BAY'-nuhr) is refusing to rule out a potential shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security because of a congressional impasse over funding.
Boehner says Senate Democrats would be to blame if the department's $40 billion budget lapses in late February.
When questioned by reporters on Thursday, the Ohio Republican refused to repeat past assurances that the department would stay open.
Boehner says a shutdown would be bad. But he says the House has done its job by passing a bill that keeps the agency running while also overturning President Barack Obama's executive policies on immigration.
Senate Democrats have blocked that bill because they oppose the immigration language.
The way forward is uncertain, though it could end with a short-term budget extension.
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