Senate Democrats block DHS funding bill, prolonging partial government shutdown

The Senate on Tuesday failed to advance legislation that would fund the Department of Homeland Security for the rest of the fiscal year, ensuring the current partial government shutdown extends further this week as the two sides fail to reach an agreement.The department entered a shutdown earlier this month after Senate Democrats failed to pass the House’s DHS funding bill because of objections to immigration enforcement. 
The Senate failed to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to a full-year DHS spending bill in a 50-45 split. It needed 60 votes to advance. Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman was the only Democrat to vote with all Republicans on the bill.
The standstill comes over objections to ICE funding, even though the agency is not impacted by the shutdown because of extra funding it received in its operating budget that Congress passed last year, which is expected to keep it operational for five years.
Agencies that are impacted by the shutdown include the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Transportation Security Administration, which has warned air travelers that their flights could be impacted by the shutdown. Air Traffic Controllers will not be impacted because they are funded by the Transportation Department.
Democrats also demand that the government bans face masks for federal agents and tightens warrant requirements.
“So far, they have not budged on the key issues,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters Tuesday. “So far, we’ve heard crickets from them. Nothing. They’re not negotiating. They’re just trying to pass paper back and forth with no new changes.”
The DHS is the only department impacted by the shutdown because Congress has already approved separate funding legislation for the rest of the federal government through September.

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