Last updated on September 25th, 2023 at 08:43 pm
In a crushing defeat for John Boehner, his own House Republicans defeated the Speaker’s bill, and jeopardized national security by voting against a three week funding bill for Homeland Security.
The final vote was 202-224. Twelve Democrats voted yes, and 51 Republicans voted no.
To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
Twice before the final vote, the House was forced into recess because Boehner was trying to scrounge up the votes to pass his funding bill. Before the vote, Nancy Pelosi told Republicans that they were allowing their hatred of President Obama to jeopardize Homeland Security.
The defeat of Speaker Boehner’s bill has thrown the House into chaos. Boehner had no backup plan, and he could not get the votes to pass his own bill. In a Speakership that has been full of low points, John Boehner just hit rock bottom. The security of the homeland was in jeopardy, and Boehner couldn’t find the votes to keep the department open for three weeks.
Speaker Boehner got no Democratic help on the bill. Earlier in the day, Democratic Leader Pelosi (D-CA) told the media, “It’s a manufactured crisis. The sad part of it is that we’re going down a path which is already blocked. Leader Reid has already said we’re not going to conference. We’re not going to conference. Going to conference at this point on these issues, with immigration and the rest, is really a very bad idea. They know that’s not going to happen. When will they ever learn? Just take the shortest path to get the job done for the American people.”
Boehner’s Republicans never learn. The House bounces from one manufactured crisis to another under Boehner. Because the Speaker has no control over his caucus, Homeland Security is going to shut down.
Today’s vote is one of John Boehner’s biggest humiliations yet.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
