Texas GOP Blocks DHS Funding, Escalates Border Showdown

0:00Texas Republicans are leading the charge in a Washington showdown over funding the Department of Homeland Security. The Senate passed a bipartisan bill Friday that funded most of DHS but skipped immigration and customs enforcement and Border Patrol. House Republicans shot it down and instead approved their own stopgap measure, fully funding the Department for two months. House leaders, pushed by folks like Rept Ship Roy from Austin, call the Senate Plan Lazy and Offensive for ignoring border security basics. Roy, whose policy chair for the House Freedom Caucus and on the Rules Committee helped to make the Friday meeting a blame fest between Democrats and Republicans. Travelers felt the pinch with long airport lines during the partial shutdown but by Monday morning, way times a Houston spot started easing up. Still, the Transportation Security Administration isn't back at full strength yet. Political experts say voters are fed up with Congress dragging its feet on basics like this. Rice University Professor Mark Jones points out, House hard miners like the Freedom Caucus are playing purist, holding firm without much backlash from their base.

1:08But in the general election, Republicans could catch most of the heat from unhappy Americans. Both chambers are out until April 13th. So this funding fight might stretch on, testing how much patients folks have left for partisan gridlock. Stay informed with El Paso News today, AI-powered updates.