MILITARY

Pressure centers on House GOP on Homeland Security funding bill with partial shutdown looming

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., accompanied by Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., right, meets with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015, to talk about his move to disentangle one of two contested immigration measures from the Homeland Security budget and debate the issues separately, as the Senate faces an impasse over provisions attached to the spending bill aimed at blocking President Barack Obama's executive actions on immigration. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (The Associated Press)

The Senate Democratic Caucus, led by Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nev., center, gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015, to urge Republicans to support a "clean bill" to fund the Homeland Security Department as that agency's budget expires later this week. The DHS budget is at a standstill over provisions attached to a Homeland Security spending bill aimed at blocking President Barack Obama's executive actions on immigration. Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J. is at left. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (The Associated Press)

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., accompanied by Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn of Texas, right, and Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., rear, speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015, to talk about his move to disentangle one of two contested immigration measures from the Homeland Security budget and debate the issues separately, as the Senate faces an impasse over provisions attached to the spending bill aimed at blocking President Barack Obama's executive actions on immigration. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (The Associated Press)

The pressure is on House Republicans days ahead of a looming partial Homeland Security Department shutdown.

Senate GOP leaders have agreed to Democratic demands and announced legislation to fund the Homeland Security Department without contentious immigration provisions opposed by Democrats and President Barack Obama. Now all eyes are on the House GOP.

Early reviews from House conservatives are negative. They have a closed-door caucus meeting set for Wednesday morning.

Several insist they cannot accept the two-part strategy proposed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The first is a vote on legislation to fund the Homeland Security Department. The second: a separate vote to overturn Obama's executive actions sparing millions of immigrants in this country illegally from deportation.

Republican congressman Matt Salmon of Arizona says McConnell's plan is "tantamount to surrender."