AUSTIN – The House voted overwhelmingly Thursday to move a much-criticized law-enforcement database on more than a million Texans out of the purview of the governor's office to the Texas Department of Safety.

And lawmakers took a second jab at Gov. Rick Perry by approving a requirement that his homeland-security czar be confirmed by the Senate.

But the massive border-security bill containing those provisions – which House Speaker Tom Craddick called "one of the most important bills of the session to the state" – was delayed on a technical maneuver and sent back to committee, a meltdown that prompted a sharp rebuke from Mr. Craddick, brought the bill's sponsor to tears and had tempers flaring late into the night.

The bill is expected to return to the full House for a vote early next week. House State Affairs Chairman David Swinford, R-Dumas, accused his colleagues of getting their priorities wrong and playing politics with an important, bipartisan bill.

The bill would send hundreds of millions of dollars in federal border-security dollars to cities, counties and border sheriffs to combat human smuggling and drug trafficking. In earlier versions of the bill, the database known as the Texas Data Exchange, or "TDEx" – designed as an anti-terrorism tool and originally controlled by the security czar, Steve McCraw – would have been moved under the Texas Rangers but still managed by a division of Mr. Perry's office.

A bipartisan group of more than 100 House members voted to shift it instead to the DPS, saying they were concerned about sensitive law-enforcement information being under the control of a political office.

But the strong message to Mr. Perry was lost in an unusual fight over procedures, politics and legislative priorities – and the right of members to use any means necessary to fight for or against bills.

Opponents, who included Rep. Troy Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, and Corpus Christi Rep. Abel Herrero, D-Corpus Christi, said their constituents were concerned about parts of the bill they said might turn police officers into immigration agents.

Mr. Herrero brought a "point of order" that delayed the bill, and he and Mr. Martinez Fischer said they wanted more time to work out their concerns with the bill's authors.

But Mr. Craddick, R-Midland, said he thought "some members out there [are] playing politics" and chastised them for delaying the bill – one week before a critical House deadline that will kill a lot of legislation.

A clearly frustrated Mr. Craddick told Mr. Swinford to ask the House to vote by two-thirds to override the delay – a highly unusual move that Mr. Swinford appeared to consider before calling it "over the top" and opting instead to send his bill back to committee.

Mr. Swinford told lawmakers he was "ashamed" of the House for choosing to argue politics instead of passing a bipartisan bill intended to combat drug trafficking and human smuggling.

"We cannot, as a state, continue to allow the drug lords to dominate this state like they're doing," he said. "We cannot allow them to have human suffering. ... I'm telling you, the heart of Texas is getting ripped out over some penny ante stuff."

He received a standing ovation.