(Washington, DC) – Today, Representative Daniel Webster (FL-10) issued the following statement after the House passed H.R. 33 as amended by the Senate, legislation to extend the continuing FY2015 appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) at the current annual rate through March 6, 2015, and prevent a shutdown of DHS when funding expires tonight at midnight:

“Over six weeks ago, the House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation that fully funded the Department of Homeland Security while simultaneously reining in the President’s egregious executive overreach on immigration. Until today, as we sit on the precipice of DHS funding lapsing, the Senate was unable to act.

“While I am disappointed that Senate Democrats obstructed this process in an effort to shield the President’s immigration overreach from debate, I am pleased they finally relented in at least allowing DHS to be funded at the eleventh hour.

“As regular order dictates, both chambers should now go to conference to reconcile the differences between these two positions. The House has passed a short term funding measure to ensure that our national security efforts will remain fully funded and operational while these negotiations take place.

“The Senate should immediately appoint conferees and begin negotiations with respect for the Constitution’s clearly defined separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches.”

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