Reid back on Senate floor

“It’s really good to be back,” were Reid’s opening words in his first official appearance of the year. His face remained bruised and he sported a bandage over the right side of his face as he recovers from eye surgery made necessary by a freak accident in his home on New Year’s Day.

But Reid sounded like he never left, even as he assumed his new role as Senate minority leader after Democrats lost the majority in elections last fall. He picked up his previous role as chief Republican-thrasher, lacing into the GOP over an upcoming bill that ties continued spending for the Department of Homeland Security to rollbacks on President Barack Obama’s executive actions on immigration.

Department funding runs out at the end of February, raising the possibility that some employees would be sent home while “essential” personnel – including border agents and terrorism trackers – work without a paycheck.

Reid accused Republicans of “hiding behind” homeland security in order to attack Obama on immigration. A funding bill that passed the GOP-controlled House and that sits before the Senate would roll back immigration initiatives Obama put in place by executive order.

Republicans charge Obama overstepped his authority. Obama has said he would veto the bill if it reaches his desk still containing the immigration provisions.

The 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program has granted temporary work permits for young undocumented immigrants. A followup program Obama announced in Las Vegas last November would extend the same benefit to qualifying undocumented parents of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. The programs are expected to shield up to 4.4 million people from deportation.

“Why should we be dealing with issues that have nothing to do with homeland security?” Reid said. “We should pass a homeland security bill with no strings attached.”

Reid, 75, made a five-minute speech and remained on the Senate floor for a few more minutes as Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., delivered a followup speech underscoring Reid’s points. Reid was scheduled to meet later in the day with his team of Democratic leaders.

The Nevada Democrat, up for re-election in 2016, spent parts of several days in the U.S. Capitol in recent weeks but did not take part in floor debates. Reid and his staff have sought to emphasize he remained on top of Senate doings from his condo home at the Ritz-Carlton.

He was home last week following surgery that drained a blood clot and reconstructed broken bones around his right eye. Reid lost vision in the eye after an exercise resistance band he was using snapped back into his face and knocked him into cabinetry at his home in Henderson on New Year’s Day.

Reid said doctors are hopeful his vision will return but his office has not commented on reports he may need further surgery.