"If the president is faced with a choice between a short term extension and shutting down the Department of Homeland Security, he [Obama] will sign the short term extension,” Earnest said at a White House press briefing.
Earlier on Friday, the US Senate voted to fully fund the DHS through the 2015 fiscal year before the midnight deadline. The US House of Representatives, however, still needs to vote on a stopgap measure that will provide funding for the agency for three weeks.
Although the House bill would prevent a lapse in DHS funding, it would continue the standoff between Republicans and Democrats on a fully-funded DHS spending bill.
Earnest warned that funding the DHS would rely on US House Speaker John Boehner to “deliver,” regardless of whether he would put the bill up for a vote.
"The choice for the president's a little difficult, but the choice for the Speaker of the House is really easy,” Earnest said. “Let's hope he makes the right one."
Funding for DHS was held up after Republicans in the House and Senate introduced an amendment to the bill to defund US President Barack Obama’s executive action on immigration. The final bill passed by the Senate does not contain language barring funding to the executive action.
