Cole Statement on Senate Democrat Homeland Security Obstruction

Washington, D.C. – Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) released the following statement as continued obstruction by Senate Democrat leadership places Department of Homeland Security funding and critical operations in jeopardy, with a shutdown looming on Friday at midnight:
 
“We are bracing for another shutdown because Senate Democrat leadership career calculations are outweighing national security. Enough is enough. I am fed up with political grandstanding that sacrifices hardworking Americans and stability for core operations.
 
“The hard truth may be inconvenient, but immigration enforcement will continue. Removal operations will continue. Border wall construction will continue. In fact, Senator Schumer and his allies are effectively weakening authority over ICE and CBP at the very moment they claim to want more. Resources for ICE body-worn cameras and deescalation training, which would be currently implemented if Senate Democrats stood by the bipartisan, bicameral deal they helped negotiate, remain lines in a bill. And a shutdown will increase administrative flexibility.
 
“There will be a burden shouldered, and the cost will be paid by people who never asked to be part of the fight. TSA employees, Coast Guard personnel, Secret Service agents, and civil servants across DHS agencies will go without a paycheck. Shipbuilding will be disrupted. FEMA’s disaster relief response will be hurt. Cyber defenses and counterterrorism efforts will be degraded. And even law enforcement programs that help children and trafficking victims will be impacted.
 
“And while all these consequences are slated to start tomorrow at midnight, Senate Democrats are still readying to get on a plane out of town – instead of focusing on completing the job they were elected to do. Flying home or abroad while leaving TSA in limbo isn’t the message of leadership I’d want to send.
 
“The House has acted in good faith at every turn. We delivered bipartisan and full-year funding to avoid this very situation. I’d remind my colleagues on the other side of the aisle what their historic government shutdown mere months ago delivered – nothing but pain for the American people. The consequences are real, and the responsibility for them in this moment is clear.”
 
Background: 

• Funding the government is a constitutional imperative.
• The House and Senate previously struck a bipartisan and bicameral deal to finalize all Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bills.
• The House acted expeditiously to pass these bills, marking historic progress for our appropriations process and progress to return to ‘regular order.’
• After helping negotiate the deal, Senate Democrats altered it at the last minute, undermining DHS funding.
• Shutting down DHS won’t achieve the immigration results Democrats are promising. Reconciliation investments will keep immigration enforcement and construction of a border wall moving.
• However, many other agencies and programs under DHS will suffer should the government shut down, including: the Coast Guard, TSA, cybersecurity and counter-terrorism efforts, FEMA, law enforcement training, and more.
• Chairman Cole has consistently made it clear that government shutdowns are reckless and harmful.
• Unlike Senate Democrats, who have abandoned their word and moved the goalposts on negotiated deals multiple times, he has provided steady leadership and advanced full-year funding through the House for all 12 appropriations bills.

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