OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma's two Republican U.S. senators both voted against legislation that offers a path to citizenship to millions of immigrants living in the country illegally.
Sens. Tom Coburn and Jim Inhofe both say the bill grants too much authority to federal bureaucrats to determine whether the border with Mexico is secure.
The two were among 32 senators who voted against a measure that cleared the Senate on Thursday and now heads to the Republican-controlled House.
Inhofe says the bill gives amnesty to immigrants before meaningful border security is achieved. He also says the measure gives too much discretion to the Department of Homeland Security.
Coburn says he wanted to support an immigration reform proposal, but he described the measure approved Thursday as a "historic missed opportunity."
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.