By Bruce Alpert, NOLA.com | Times-Picayune

on December 12, 2014 at 7:52 PM, updated December 12, 2014 at 8:05 PM

Senate Conservatives Action President Ken Cuccinelli is trying to raise money based on the decision by House Republican leaders not to contest President Barack Obama's immigration executive order until next year.

They drew up a funding bill that funds most of the government for the remainder of the 2015 fiscal year, Sept. 30, but only funded the Department of Homeland Security through Feb 1. Homeland Security enforces immigration laws.

The GOP rational is by then the Senate will be in Republican control, making it easier to defund the cost of enacting the president's executive order that will deprioritize deportation of undocumented residents who have been in the country for a while and have families here.

That was the wrong move, Cuccinelli says, targeting his criticism to the House Republican leadership team, including Speaker John Boehner, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Jefferson.

"Freedom-loving Americans across the nation asked Republican leaders in the House to defund the President's unlawful amnesty, but they didn't listen," Cuccinelli said.

Scalise said the GOP is doing exactly the right thing.

"This critical legislation not only brings discretionary spending to its lowest level in nearly a decade, but also sets the stage for a battle with President Obama over his illegal actions on immigration, and that battle begins in just four weeks when we get the reinforcements of a Republican Senate in January," Scalise said.

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.s..._decision.html