This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/27/us/politics/migrant-children-congress.html
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| House Democrats Demand More Control Over Border as Impasse Deepens | House Democrats Demand More Control Over Border as Impasse Deepens |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| WASHINGTON — House Democrats on Thursday moved to attach thick strings to a Senate-approved humanitarian aid package for the southwestern border, pushing for stronger protections for children and adults in migrant detention facilities and restrictions on how the Senate’s $4.6 billion could be spent. | WASHINGTON — House Democrats on Thursday moved to attach thick strings to a Senate-approved humanitarian aid package for the southwestern border, pushing for stronger protections for children and adults in migrant detention facilities and restrictions on how the Senate’s $4.6 billion could be spent. |
| But within an hour of the House Rules Committee meeting to modify the Senate bill, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, vowed to reject any changes that the House planned to pass. | But within an hour of the House Rules Committee meeting to modify the Senate bill, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, vowed to reject any changes that the House planned to pass. |
| “We already have our compromise,” Mr. McConnell said on the Senate floor, with the Senate legislation being “the only game in town.” | “We already have our compromise,” Mr. McConnell said on the Senate floor, with the Senate legislation being “the only game in town.” |
| “It’s time to quit playing games,” he added. “Time to make law.” | “It’s time to quit playing games,” he added. “Time to make law.” |
| The showdown now pits Mr. McConnell’s position that a bipartisan vote in the Senate should be the last word against Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s emotional appeal for Congress to rein in President Trump’s hard-line immigration policies. Democratic leaders appeared to be moving forward with their plan to push a full House vote and leave for a weeklong July 4 recess, daring the Senate not to pass the latest version of a spending bill that both parties acknowledge is needed to alleviate horrendous conditions at migrant detention facilities. | The showdown now pits Mr. McConnell’s position that a bipartisan vote in the Senate should be the last word against Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s emotional appeal for Congress to rein in President Trump’s hard-line immigration policies. Democratic leaders appeared to be moving forward with their plan to push a full House vote and leave for a weeklong July 4 recess, daring the Senate not to pass the latest version of a spending bill that both parties acknowledge is needed to alleviate horrendous conditions at migrant detention facilities. |
| “The humanitarian emergency at our southern border challenges the conscience of America, and we must act,” Ms. Pelosi wrote in an appeal to lawmakers on Thursday. “For the children, we must do the best we can. For the children’s health, we must ensure higher standards for medical care, nutrition and hygiene. For the children’s safety, we must limit the number of days a child can spend in an influx facility to 90 days, and hold contractors to strong influx facility standards of care.” | “The humanitarian emergency at our southern border challenges the conscience of America, and we must act,” Ms. Pelosi wrote in an appeal to lawmakers on Thursday. “For the children, we must do the best we can. For the children’s health, we must ensure higher standards for medical care, nutrition and hygiene. For the children’s safety, we must limit the number of days a child can spend in an influx facility to 90 days, and hold contractors to strong influx facility standards of care.” |
| But even some of her moderate members quietly began to press for a vote on the Senate legislation, without the House amendment. | But even some of her moderate members quietly began to press for a vote on the Senate legislation, without the House amendment. |
| House Democrats rejected efforts early Thursday morning to force lawmakers to stay in Washington until the impasse over the dueling measures was solved, insisting that the Senate should have no issue taking up an additional amendment to the bill. | House Democrats rejected efforts early Thursday morning to force lawmakers to stay in Washington until the impasse over the dueling measures was solved, insisting that the Senate should have no issue taking up an additional amendment to the bill. |
| Tragic images of the migrant crisis and details of the horrid conditions migrant families and their children face in overcrowded, squalid detention centers and facilities have further intensified the urgency to pass legislation and hardened Democratic resolve to fight for tougher oversight in the bill. | Tragic images of the migrant crisis and details of the horrid conditions migrant families and their children face in overcrowded, squalid detention centers and facilities have further intensified the urgency to pass legislation and hardened Democratic resolve to fight for tougher oversight in the bill. |
| “It’s difficult to see how anyone would object to some protections that would enhance protection of children and transparency,” said Representative Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, the chairman of the House Rules Committee. | “It’s difficult to see how anyone would object to some protections that would enhance protection of children and transparency,” said Representative Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, the chairman of the House Rules Committee. |
| But Republicans argued that the overwhelming bipartisan vote on the Senate bill — and the blunt rejection of the House’s initial legislation — showed that the core bill should be allowed to move forward without changes. | But Republicans argued that the overwhelming bipartisan vote on the Senate bill — and the blunt rejection of the House’s initial legislation — showed that the core bill should be allowed to move forward without changes. |
| “You’re going down a path that doesn’t ensure a presidential signature,” warned Representative Tom Cole of Oklahoma, the top Republican on the House Rules Committee. “Frankly, I have some concerns that even the Senate version meets the definition of what the president will sign.” | “You’re going down a path that doesn’t ensure a presidential signature,” warned Representative Tom Cole of Oklahoma, the top Republican on the House Rules Committee. “Frankly, I have some concerns that even the Senate version meets the definition of what the president will sign.” |
| “Why the majority would push for provisions that failed in the Senate is beyond my understanding,” Mr. Cole added. | |
| White House officials also weighed in in a statement attributed to the press secretary: “We have already negotiated a broadly supported bipartisan funding bill. It is time for House Democrats to pass the Senate bill and stop delaying funding to deal with this very real humanitarian crisis.” | |
| The amendment, released well after midnight on Thursday, includes language ensuring the release of unaccompanied migrant children from temporary facilities after three months and allowing for lawmaker visits to facilities without notice. | The amendment, released well after midnight on Thursday, includes language ensuring the release of unaccompanied migrant children from temporary facilities after three months and allowing for lawmaker visits to facilities without notice. |
| It would toughen health and safety standards for detention centers and other facilities, provide money for a pilot processing program in conjunction with nonprofits and reduce some funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other agencies. Under the House change, Customs and Border Protection would have to establish plans and protocols to deliver medical care, improve nutrition and hygiene, and train personnel to ensure the health and safety of children and adults in custody. | It would toughen health and safety standards for detention centers and other facilities, provide money for a pilot processing program in conjunction with nonprofits and reduce some funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other agencies. Under the House change, Customs and Border Protection would have to establish plans and protocols to deliver medical care, improve nutrition and hygiene, and train personnel to ensure the health and safety of children and adults in custody. |
| “We can’t spend all our time with a crystal ball trying to see what the Senate or the president will do,” said Representative Jaime Raskin, Democrat of Maryland, who argued that the House had a right to advocate its own legislation. | |
| Even within the Democratic Caucus, members were growing restive over the stalemate. Moderate lawmakers facing tough re-election campaigns were quietly warning about the consequences of leaving Washington without a bicameral compromise sent to Mr. Trump, according to a senior Democratic aide familiar with the discussions. | Even within the Democratic Caucus, members were growing restive over the stalemate. Moderate lawmakers facing tough re-election campaigns were quietly warning about the consequences of leaving Washington without a bicameral compromise sent to Mr. Trump, according to a senior Democratic aide familiar with the discussions. |
| Members of the party’s liberal flank warned that it would be difficult for them to support any measure without additional protections and restrictions on the money. | Members of the party’s liberal flank warned that it would be difficult for them to support any measure without additional protections and restrictions on the money. |
| Representative Norma J. Torres, Democrat of California, held back tears as she read aloud Ms. Pelosi’s statement announcing their intent to push forward with an additional amendment. | Representative Norma J. Torres, Democrat of California, held back tears as she read aloud Ms. Pelosi’s statement announcing their intent to push forward with an additional amendment. |
| “We must ask ourselves, is this the America that we — that my son swore to protect?” Ms. Torres said, whose son is an Air Force veteran. “I don’t see that America when I hear the debate around what is right and what is wrong.” | “We must ask ourselves, is this the America that we — that my son swore to protect?” Ms. Torres said, whose son is an Air Force veteran. “I don’t see that America when I hear the debate around what is right and what is wrong.” |