In the News

As members of Congress left the capital Friday for a 10-day recess, Congressman Gerry Connolly (VA-11) criticized Congressional leadership for going home without first addressing the impending deadline to pass a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill for the rest of the fiscal year.

Current funding for DHS expires February 28, at which time certain vital operations will come to a halt and most employees considered to be “essential personnel” will be forced to work without pay.

“We are now 15 days, and perhaps more disconcerting  just 4 legislative days, away from a possible shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security because Congressional Republicans refuse to allow a vote on an already-agreed-upon budget compromise on DHS funding.  They are putting their obsession with thwarting the President’s use of executive authority to fix our nation’s broken immigration system ahead of national security,” Connolly said.

“If Congressional Republicans once again push us over the brink – just as they did in October 2013 when they shut down the entire federal government for 16 days – the Department of Homeland Security will be forced to furlough 30,000 employees, leaving some families wondering how they will make ends meet.”

Yesterday, Connolly joined with 187 House Democrats in cosponsoring a clean funding bill for DHS.  Passage of a clean bill would require only 30 Republican votes in the House.

Earlier this week, the House leadership brought a bill to the floor requiring the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to conduct an assessment of  the nation’s airports to determine their level of preparedness to respond to an active-shooter or other threat.  “It’s a cynical ploy for House Republicans to bring up such a bill knowing that their actions to block a clean funding bill will not only delay this needed assessment but also jeopardize other security efforts at a time of heightened alert for all Americans,” Connolly said.

“In just the past week, we’ve seen shocking reminders of the threats at our door and the urgent need to ensure the Department of Homeland Security is equipped to respond,” Connolly said, referring to the tragic death of an American woman at the hands of the terrorist group ISIL and the cyberattack on one of the nation’s largest health insurers.

“We face real challenges safeguarding Americans, whether they are at home, traveling through our airports, or in cyber space. When it comes to securing their safety, our residents should expect action from their elected leaders rather than political posturing,” Connolly said.