WASHINGTON —The U.S. House approved the four remaining full-year appropriations bills on Thursday, lessening the odds of another government shutdown.
Amid turmoil over Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in Minneapolis and elsewhere, most Democrats opposed the bill funding the Department of Homeland Security.
The bills that passed Thursday will be combined with two other appropriations bills previously passed in the House before being sent to the Senate for consideration. Next week, senators will consider this “minibus” for approval ahead of the Jan. 30 funding deadline to avoid a partial government shutdown.
All but seven Democrats opposed the Homeland Security funding bill as a protest of recent actions by ICE, including the officer who shot and killed Renee Good in Minneapolis. All five Democrats in Georgia’s delegation voted “no.”
“ I am not voting to send not one penny to the Department of Homeland Security with the way Americans and people in this country are being terrorized,” U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, D-Atlanta, said prior to the vote.
U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Albany, said he was against the legislation because Republicans refused to include ICE oversight provisions, such as mask bans, mandating body cameras and prohibiting the detention of U.S. citizens.
“Voting against this appropriations bill will not in any way inhibit the resources for ICE,” Bishop said, citing funding for the agency included in the so-called “big, beautiful bill” passed by Republicans last year. “I believe these are reasonable guardrails for ICE to conduct their responsibilities.”
The Homeland Security bill passed by a vote of 220-207.
The House then passed a second package that included three additional appropriations bills funding agencies including departments of Health and Human Services, Transportation, Education and Defense. It had wide bipartisan support, with 341 members in favor and 88 opposed.
Twenty-four Republicans, none from Georgia, and 64 Democrats, including Reps. Hank Johnson and Williams of Georgia, voted against that package.
How members of Georgia’s U.S. House delegation voted on final appropriations bills, H.R. 7147 and H.R. 7148
“Yes” on Homeland Security and on package of three
- U.S. Rep. Rick Allen, R-Augusta
- U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, R-St. Simons Island
- U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Athens
- U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, R-Jackson
- U.S. Rep. Brian Jack, R-Peachtree City
- U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Cassville
- U.S. Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Suwanee
- U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, R-Tifton
“No” on Homeland Security, “Yes” on package of three
- U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Albany
- U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, D-Marietta
- U.S. Rep. David Scott, D-Atlanta
“No” on all Homeland Security and on package of three
- U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Lithonia
- U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, D-Atlanta
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