Congressman Gabe Evans Votes to Reopen DHS — Rejecting Senate Proposals That Omit Funding for Key Law Enforcement Agencies

WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Gabe Evans voted to advance a 60-day continuing resolution (CR) to reopen the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), rejecting a Senate proposal that excludes funding for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

"House Republicans have voted and passed legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security three separate times. Meanwhile Senate Democrats have struck down every opportunity to fully fund the hardworking Americans who protect our homeland, instead pushing their radical defund-the-police and open border policies and willingly creating crisis and chaos across the country. While Democrats continue to lie about their concern for the safety and well-being of their constituents, I will continue to fight as we work to fully fund these critical agencies and deliver on the America-first promises I made." -Congressman Gabe Evans

The Senate-passed legislation would reopen portions of DHS but deliberately excludes funding for ICE and CBP - two critical agencies responsible for securing the nation's borders, enforcing immigration laws, and removing dangerous criminals from American communities. Despite uniformed ICE and CBP officers being funded in last years' reconciliation bill - the Working Families Tax Cut - civilian and support staff were not. Senate Democrats are cancelling civilian pay to degrade law enforcement and compromise border security.

Law enforcement agencies cannot effectively function without their civilian support staff. When Democrats weaken a link, the whole chain of Homeland Security breaks.

That's exactly why House Republicans have made it clear that selectively funding DHS in this manner is unacceptable and undermines the Department's core mission.

The Department of Homeland Security has now been shut down for 42 days -- the longest partial government shutdown in American history -- disrupting operations across multiple agencies and placing an increased strain on the men and women tasked with protecting the homeland.

Congressman Gabe Evans' vote to advance a 60-day CR would temporarily restore funding for all DHS components, including ICE and CBP, while allowing Congress additional time to negotiate a long-term solution that ensures the Department is fully funded.

The vote comes after the House GOP voted for the third time to fully fund DHS and support its workforce earlier this weekthrough H.Res 1128, a resolution expressing support for DHS personnel, and H.R.8029, the Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act, which ensures that frontline DFHS employees receive their pay. House Republicans have also previously passed H.R. 7147and H.R. 7744, both of which fully funded DHS.

Despite multiple opportunities to support these measures, Democrats have repeatedly voted against effortsto fully fund DHS and pay the personnel who protect the American people.

DHS is a coordinated system of agencies that work together to safeguard the nation. From TSA officerssecuring our airports, to FEMApreparing for disasters, to CISAdefending critical infrastructure from cyber threats, to ICE and CBP enforcing federal law and securing the border, each component plays an essential role. Weakening or excluding any part of this system creates gaps in coordination, strains frontline operations, and undermines national security.

The impacts of the ongoing shutdown are being felt across the country. During a recent Homeland Security Committee hearing, TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeil testifiedthat airport wait times have reached the longest in agency history, with call-out rates surging as high as 40-50%and more than 480TSA officers leaving their positions. In some cases, airports have resorted to requesting donationsto support TSA personnel working without pay.

House Republicans have consistently acted to fully fund DHS and support its workforce. The Senate's failure to do so - and its decision to advance a proposal that excludes key law enforcement agencies - has prolonged uncertainty and weakened the Department's ability to carry out its mission.

The Senate should return immediately and pass legislation that ensures all DHS components are funded, restores stability to the Department, and provides certainty to the personnel working every day to protect the American people.