House Republicans have continued to pass partisan legislation that threatens funding for the Department of Homeland Security and puts our national security at risk.
What’s at stake?
Adequate funding for DHS and its 280,000 employees. The agency’s support expires on February 27. If Congressional Republicans, who hold the majority of seats in the House and Senate, fail to pass a DHS funding bill, then front-line security personnel will continue to work without pay. It includes:
More than 40,000 border patrol agents and customs and border patrol officers
More than 50,000 Transportation Security Administration aviation security screeners
More than 13,000 immigration and customs enforcement law enforcement agents and officers
More than 40,000 active duty Coast Guard military members
More than 4,000 Secret Service law enforcement agents and officers
Rather than join with Democrats to protect the American people and fund the Department of Homeland Security, Republicans have decided to put politics above the safety of American families.
Recent events around the world have offered us a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance to maintain the security of our country.
Some of our region’s most recognizable points of entry are located in my district. They include the Ambassador Bridge, the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel as well as other vital locations along the Detroit River and Lake St. Clair such as a U.S. Coast Guard station and other federal officials.
We can’t afford to compromise the safety of Americans both in Greater Detroit and throughout our nation. The clock is ticking. Yet with less than a month left until the Department of Homeland Security shuts down on February 28, Republicans are wasting time trying to soothe extremists in their party rather than secure our country.
As President Barack Obama said recently, let’s “put politics aside and pass a budget that funds our national security priorities at home and abroad.”
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