Senate approves DHS funding bill; could avert partial shutdown

2/27/15 UPDATE 10:15 P.M. – 

With barely two hours left before the potential shutdown of the DHS at midnight, Congress passed a bill that only funds DHS for one week. DETAILS: Congress passes 1-week DHS funding bill

2/27/15: UPDATE 5:20 P.M. – 

The bill hit a snag in the Republican controlled Senate and failed to pass. With little more than 6 and a half hours before the shutdown at midnight, members of Congress are expected to hit the negotiating table again.

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The Senate approved a Department of Homeland Security funding bill that could prevent the shutdown of the federal agency, amidst the debate over whether President Barack Obama’s executive action on immigration should be reversed.

The move could mean that Congress is on its way to approve a three-week stopgap fundng bill that postpones the possibility of a partial shutdown in the security agency.

SEE ALSO: Wilmer Valderrama urges immigrants to keep calm; prepare for deportation relief

News agency Reuters reported the following: “With only hours remaining before Department of Homeland Security funding expires at midnight, the House of Representatives was pursuing a short-term funding extension. It would give Republicans more time to agree on a way to keep the agency open over the long term, while still fighting Democratic President Barack Obama over his immigration order lifting the threat of deportation for millions of undocumented residents.”

Democrats announced their opposition to the three-week measure, forcing House Speaker John Boehner to rely solely on GOP votes.

“Virtually every president since Eisenhower has issued an executive order relative to immigration,” Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill. told USA Today. “Now, you didn’t see Republican hair on fire when it was being done by President George W. Bush or Herbert Walker Bush or any other Republican president.

“It’s only when Barack Obama does it that they scream and rage that it’s unconstitutional.”

Conservative lawmakers who have thwarted Boehner’s plans on a variety of issues were balking because the legislation doesn’t undo President Barack Obama’s executive actions granting work permits to millions of immigrants in the United States illegally.

“I am not going to vote under any circumstances to fund illegal conduct,” said Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala. “It does not make any difference whether the funding is for three weeks, three months or a full fiscal year. If it’s illegal, it’s illegal.”

What would happen with a partial DHS shutdown

GOP leaders urgently pleaded for the measure. Without action, DHS would begin to shut down at midnight Friday, furloughing 30,000 workers. Another 200,000 would be deemed essential and continue to report to work, albeit without pay.

SEE ALSO: Democrats urged GOP to pass ‘clean’ DHS funding bill

“The House must pass this bill in short order to keep the lights on at the Department of Homeland Security in the near term,” said Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Ky. “Hopefully, this will buy us this additional time that we clearly need.”

For now, the three-week stopgap measure, if approved, would allow lawmakers to keep the Homeland Security Department running at a time of heightened threats worldwide — even if it does little more than postpone the fight for another day. The bill would extend current funding levels for the department until March 19.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.