After Shutting Down the Department of Homeland Security for 76 Days, Republicans Bring Up Funding Bill Mirroring DeLauro Proposal, Passes Overwhelmingly

WASHINGTON – Today, after shutting down the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for 76 days and refusing to fund any agency under DHS without additional funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Border Patrol, House Republican leadership finally abandoned their senseless opposition to this common-sense solution and allowed a vote in the House on the unanimous Senate-passed bill, which closely mirrors legislation Ranking Member DeLauro introduced in February. The bill passed overwhelmingly. 

House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro issued the following statement regarding the passage of the bill:

“This is a victory for the hardworking men and women at FEMA, TSA, the Secret Service, Coast Guard and our top cybersecurity agency whose lives were on hold for 76 days, but who continued to work while Republicans shut down the government and held them hostage.

“It is about time. This has gone on far too long. This is no way to govern, this is no way to run a legislative body, it is a failure of leadership. 

“We could have passed this same exact bill more than a month ago. This irresponsible delay caused substantial harm to federal workers throughout the Department of Homeland Security. 

“I am glad this bill has finally passed. I introduced legislation that is nearly identical to the bill that passed today back in February. Democrats have supported the solution that I put forward for months – more than 200 Democrats cosponsored my bill. Were it not for Republicans’ refusal to take yes for an answer we could have solved this problem more than 75 days ago. 

“I strongly encourage my Republican colleagues to resume negotiations to reform our immigration enforcement agencies who have abused, harassed, detained and even killed law-abiding U.S. citizens with impunity.”

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