House passes Homeland Security spending bill amid GOP protests over lack of amendments

House passes Homeland Security spending bill

WASHINGTON — Democrats who control the House have pushed through a $44 billion spending bill that awards the Homeland Security Department a 7 percent budget increase.

The bill passed late Wednesday. It came to the floor amid protests from Republicans who said Democrats had taken unprecedented steps to shut out lawmakers in both parties from being able to offer amendments freely.

The bill requires the Homeland Security Department to conduct threat assessments for terrorist suspects being held at the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The measure also requires that the department make sure the Guantanamo detainees are placed on the “no-fly” list, and that they are denied admission into the United States and refugee status.