House to Vote on Revised Border Security Bill
Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives is making another attempt to pass a funding bill to respond to the humanitarian crisis on the U.S. border with an influx of children from Central America. After a scheduled vote on a $659 supplemental funding measure collapsed Thursday because of a lack of votes, House Republicans were in disarray. Republican leaders asked members to cancel flights out of town and delay the start of a planned five week recess.On Friday, House Republicans gathered for a closed door meeting in the basement of the U.S. Capitol. Republican Representative Walter Jones told VOA that he is optimistic that his party now has the 218 votes necessary to pass the bill, and a vote is expected later in the day. Republican lawmakers say it is essential to send a clear message that most children will face deportation so they are deterred from making the long and dangerous journey from Central America. Republicans say President Obama has caused confusion with his rhetoric.House Democrats strongly oppose the Republican bill, saying it does not allocate enough money to provide food and shelter for the children, and that it strips away legal protections for the children to have a day in court.The Democratic-led Senate failed to pass a border funding bill, and it not likely to do so until after their August recess. The White House has also said the president would veto the House bill, because it fails to address the humanitarian crisis.Pix Caption: Speaker of the House John Boehner of Ohio, is surrounded by reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Aug. 1, 2014, after a closed-door meeting of House Republicans to discuss the border crisis.Source: VOA