WASHINGTON - Maine's 1st District Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree told House colleagues that they should vote immediately to fund the Department of Homeland Security for the rest of the year.
Pingree said the cold weather emergencies facing many states ought to be reason enough to act now.
"Just like much of the country we have suffered from one of the hardest winters in memory in Maine," Pingree said. "But if the Department of Homeland Security is shutdown, than FEMA will not be able to process any new disaster relief applications from our states."
Republicans have offered amendments to the bill funding the Homeland Security Department that would cut off funding for President Obama's immigration programs. Democrats objected to the amendments, which passed in the House.
The impasse has prompted Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to offer to allow a vote on legislation to fund the agency, stripped of the immigration-related measures that many conservatives have been demanding.
There would then be a separate Senate vote on a proposal to overturn one of the president's controversial immigration executive orders.
