House Agrees to Two Pro-Immigrant Amendments in First Direct Floor Votes on Immigration
During the 116th Congress
During the 116th Congress
Thursday, January 17, 2019
 | The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday agreed to two pro-immigrant amendments in the first direct floor votes on immigration today of the 116th Congress. Yesterday's House floor action occurred in connection with H.R. 268, a bill making supplemental appropriations for disaster assistance for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, The measure also would make continuing appropriations for the shuttered departments and agencies of the federal government, through February 8, 2019. |
The two amendments that the House agreed to were offered by Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA).
| The McGovern Amendment, which the House agreed to by a Vote of 230-197. provides that none of the funds in the bill for the Army Corps of Engineers may be used to plan, develop, or construct the border wall. Eight Democrats and four Republicans crossed party lines on the vote. |  Rep. McGovern |
The Eight Democrats who voted against the McGovern Amendment were Representatives Brindisi (D-NY), Cunningham (D-SC), Horn (D-OK), Kim (D-NJ), Lamb (D-PA), Peterson (D-MN), Slotkin (D-MI), and Van Drew (D-NJ)
The four Republicans who voted in favor of the McGovern Amendment were Representatives Amash (R-MI), DIaz-Balart (R-FL), Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Gonzales-Colon (R-PR).
The four Republicans who voted in favor of the McGovern Amendment were Representatives Amash (R-MI), DIaz-Balart (R-FL), Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Gonzales-Colon (R-PR).
 Rep. Jayapal | The Jayapal Amendment, which the House passed by a voice vote, provides that none of the funds in the bill may be used for the construction or expansion of immigration detention facilities.. The House went on to pass H.R. 268 by a near party-line Vote of 237-187. |
As passed by the House, the bill also contains a provision making continuing appropriations for the shuttered departments and agencies of the federal government, through February 8, 2019.
From an immigration perspective, that provision would extend funding through February 8, 2019, at Fiscal Year 2018 levels of funding for three departments of the federal government that perform significant immigration- and refugee-related functions: the Departments of Homeland Security, State, and Justice. It also would extend four expired immigration programs through February 8, 2019,, by cross reference: the Special Immigrant Nonminister Religious Worker Visa program, the Conrad 30 Medical Visa Waiver Program, the E-Verify Program, and the EB-5 Investor Visa Regional Center Program.
The measure has been forwarded to the Senate, which is not expected to act on it.
From an immigration perspective, that provision would extend funding through February 8, 2019, at Fiscal Year 2018 levels of funding for three departments of the federal government that perform significant immigration- and refugee-related functions: the Departments of Homeland Security, State, and Justice. It also would extend four expired immigration programs through February 8, 2019,, by cross reference: the Special Immigrant Nonminister Religious Worker Visa program, the Conrad 30 Medical Visa Waiver Program, the E-Verify Program, and the EB-5 Investor Visa Regional Center Program.
The measure has been forwarded to the Senate, which is not expected to act on it.