Senate Republicans once again block Murray’s bill to fund everything at DHS but ICE and Border Patrol, as they drag their feet on common-sense reforms to protect Americans from violence at the hands of ICE
Murray: “Right now, TSA agents are going without pay because Republicans and the White House have decided they would rather shut down all of DHS than pass some very basic reforms to rein in ICE and Border Patrol.”
***WATCH: Senator Murray’s floor remarks***
Washington, D.C. — Moments ago, Senate Republicans once again blocked straightforward legislation to fund every agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)—except Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Office of the Secretary—while Republicans drag their feet in ongoing negotiations over common-sense reforms to rein in ICE and Border Patrol.
Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, sought unanimous consent to pass her legislation to fund DHS agencies like the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and other important DHS functions while talks on ICE and CBP proceed.
Yet again, Senator Katie Britt (R-AL) blocked Senator Murray’s request to pass the legislation.
While negotiations on ICE and CBP proceed, Senator Murray’s bill:
- Funds FEMA, TSA, the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Secret Service, CISA, and other important DHS components.
- Excludes funding for ICE, CBP, and the Office of the Secretary.
Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below:
“Right now, TSA agents are going without pay because Republicans and the White House have decided they would rather shut down all of DHS than pass some very basic reforms to rein in ICE and Border Patrol.
“For weeks on end, Democrats have been very crystal clear about what measures need to be put in place before a full DHS bill can pass. These are steps that the American people are demanding—and that local police departments across the country already follow.
“And we have also been clear that when it comes to reining in these out-of-control agencies and preventing more Americans from being shot and killed by masked federal agents, half-steps are not going to cut it.
“But Republicans are acting like they have no idea what the problem is, or what Democrats—and what the American people—are demanding here.
“And now, Republicans are not only dragging their feet on the basic reforms—they are refusing to fund TSA, FEMA, and other important DHS functions while these negotiations continue. M. President, in my view, that is just plain wrong.
“If Republicans are going to drag their feet on common-sense reforms to protect their own constituents from having their door broken in by masked federal agents without so much as a warrant, then they should at a minimum work with us to make sure that TSA is funded. At minimum, we should make sure that disaster relief is not put at risk, and that our cyber defense agency is fully operational.
“I offered a bill to get this done—to fund all of DHS except ICE, Border Patrol, and former Secretary Noem’s office. But last week—after spending the entire week talking about how important these parts of DHS are—Senate Republicans blocked that bill.
“But I am here today to give Republicans another opportunity to do the right thing—and ask my Republican colleagues to put politics aside for a moment, work with us to get TSA and FEMA funded now and press ahead to rein in ICE and Border Patrol.
“Mr. President, my colleagues know me. They know I will talk to anyone who is serious about getting results.
“But the problem right now—the reason we are here at an impasse—is not because Democrats don’t want a deal—that is ridiculous. It’s not because we aren’t willing to talk—I’ve been talking to my colleagues across the aisle all week. The problem is that Republicans are still refusing to agree to basic measures that we need to protect Americans’ basic rights and their safety the same measures we have been demanding for weeks as part of these negotiations.
“Look, this just isn’t complicated, Democrats’ position is simple: we want reforms to rein in ICE and Border Patrol. We also want TSA and FEMA funded—but we are not going to be blackmailed into cutting a blank check for ICE to get it done.
“So, I hope Republicans stop listening to Stephen Miller—and start getting serious about reform—or at the very least stop blocking funding for TSA, FEMA, the Coast Guard and more while negotiations on ICE and Border Patrol continue.”
###
