Chairman Cole Remarks at Oversight Hearing on Potential DHS Shutdown Impacts

February 11, 2026
Remarks

Thank you, Chairman Amodei and Ranking Member Cuellar, and thank you to our witnesses for being with us today. Every member at this dais has an Article I responsibility, and every member here – regardless of party – knows how damaging a shutdown is, both to the power of the purse, and the American people. 

The consequences are real, and so should our conversations in relation to the situation at hand. 

I expect my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will focus their remarks on immigration enforcement efforts. They’ll say they are taking a stand against ICE and CBP. I find that position difficult to reconcile with the facts. Neither a shutdown nor continuing resolution enhances oversight – but our bipartisan, bicameral FY26 bill did.

That final, full-year legislation was negotiated in good faith across chambers and parties. It included funding for body worn cameras and deescalation training, invested in FEMA and cybersecurity efforts, and upheld the missions of the Coast Guard and TSA. Our Homeland Security measure is not a single-issue bill. Treating it as such ignores the full scope of impacts before us – and abandons responsible governance. Further, these actions will not achieve the objectives Democrats claim to seek. 

After years of failed border policies, lax enforcement, and uncontrolled mass migration, President Trump and Republicans acted decisively to stop the chaos. Through reconciliation, Congress delivered historic resources to secure the border, protect the homeland, and strengthen ICE and CBP in support of public safety

So, no matter what Democrats do or say, immigration enforcement will continue. But if they persist in holding government funding hostage to force their third shutdown in recent months, it will be other critical components of national security that will be harmed. 

These aren’t hypothetical risks:

  • TSA personnel and other federal workers will be forced to work without a paycheck;
  • Coast Guard operations will face uncertainty and disruptions;
  • Counterterrorism and cybersecurity capacity will be slowed;
  • FEMA resources will be reduced as winter storms barrel across the nation;
  • Law enforcement trainings will be canceled and obstructed; and
  • The pay raise we secured for air traffic controllers remains in limbo.
  • Operational support, workforce morale, and the day-to-day missions that keep the American people safe will all suffer as a result. I know the panel before us will provide clarity on impacts that are being overlooked. 

I will end with this: the appropriations process shouldn’t be used as a proxy for other policy disputes. Discussions on reforms, oversight, and accountability across government can happen without leveraging other agencies as collateral. 

I appreciate our witnesses for being here today. I yield back.

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