(AP) – Legislation to provide humanitarian aid to migrants spilling across the southwest border has exposed deep and bitter division among House Democrats.
The bill the House passed Thursday dealt a blow to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who had to accept weaker legislation than she preferred. It also pitted House and Senate Democrats against each other and highlighted discord between the House’s sizable progressive and centrist factions.
Similar power plays between the liberal and moderate blocs could complicate Democrats’ efforts to move future bills on marquee issues like health care, climate change and divvying up federal dollars among defense and domestic programs.
Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a liberal leader, acknowledges, “This is a very rough patch.”
