House Speaker John Boehner: DHS Shutdown Is Not 'An Option'

ByJONATHAN KARL ABCNews logo
Tuesday, March 3, 2015

After all the bluster about using Homeland Security funding to force President Obama to undo his immigration execution action, GOP sources tell ABC News that House Speaker John Boehner plans to go forward with a vote on exactly what the White House requested -- full funding for Homeland Security with no strings attached.

There will likely be a vote later today on a clean bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security until the end of the fiscal year, sources say.

At a closed-door meeting with House Republicans this morning, Boehner said a shutdown is simply not an option.

"With more active threats coming into the homeland, I don't believe that's an option," Boehner said, according to a source at the meeting. "Imagine if, God forbid, another terrorist attack hits the United States."

The vote on the full funding bill will likely happen this afternoon.

Boehner told his Republican colleagues the fight will continue in the courts:

"I am as outraged and frustrated as you at the lawless and unconstitutional actions of this president. ... I believe this decision -- considering where we are -- is the right one for this team, and the right one for this country. The good news is that the president's executive action has been stopped, for now. This matter will continue to be litigated in the courts, where we have our best chance of winning this fight."

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