House Democrats cave, will take up Senate border bill

House Democrats will vote Thursday on a clean Senate-passed bill to address the border crisis, marking a blow to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and liberal lawmakers who had demanded additional protections for migrant children.

Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), a border lawmaker, announced the plan as he emerged from an emergency meeting in Pelosi's office in the Capitol. And other lawmakers said Democratic leaders are already whipping the $4.6 billion Senate proposal.

Pelosi, in making the formal announcement, accused Senate Republicans of bucking the traditional legislative process and vowed to continue the fight for the protection of migrant children. 

“We don’t need anyone, especially the U.S. Senate, to tell us what the needs are at the border,” Pelosi wrote in a “Dear Colleague” letter to her troops.

“As we pass the Senate bill, we will do so with a Battle Cry as to how we go forward to protect children in a way that truly honors their dignity and worth.”