On February 9, 2015 Rep. David CICILLINE of Rhode Island asked for and was granted permission to address the United States House of Representatives for one minute regarding the need to fund the US Department of Homeland Security before it shuts down:
“Mr. Speaker, every single day, our national security personnel work tirelessly to protect Americans from harm. At a time of renewed threats from ISIS around the world and with the recent attacks in France, these men and women have done the tremendous job of keeping our country safe; but unless Congress acts in 17 days, the Department of Homeland Security will run out of funding.
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson has warned that 30,000 Homeland Security workers will be furloughed, and the rest will be forced to work without pay. Is this really how our government should treat its employees on the front line of our national security system?
In an effort to roll back President Obama’s executive action on immigration, House Republicans have attached toxic policy riders to their Department of Homeland Security bill. The Republican-controlled Senate has rejected this bill three times, but rather than taking up clean legislation to provide our frontline personnel with the resources they need to protect our country, they instead are attaching all of these toxic riders.
House Republicans continue to play political games with our national security. I call on my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to stop putting politics ahead of the safety of American families and fund the Department of Homeland Security immediately.”
Source: Congressional Record