-9999

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. MARSHALL. She and her colleagues have voted against TSA funding at least five--if not six-- times over the past several weeks. Republicans have voted to fund the TSA and to fund all of DHS. So this just seems a bit hypocritical, I guess.

As I think about the situation here, I would ask my colleague: Why did it take Democrats 30 days to come to the table and discuss this issue with Republicans--30 days?

Then we started negotiations. There were some talks on Thursday and Friday between the leaders of both parties. Then, over the weekend, Democrats refused to continue those discussions. Why? Was it because they wanted to go home?

Well, look, we all wanted to go home. TSA officers would like to have a paycheck as well. So it is not lost on me.

How in the world can we sit here and have you ask us to fund the TSA when Republicans have consistently voted to fund the DHS?

This is now the 37th day of the shutdown.

Remember, the DHS was formed out of the ashes of September 11, when we took 22 Agencies and brought them together--maybe there was some information missed that wasn't shared on September 11--so that maybe that day never happens again. So why would we start breaking up these Agencies now and break up their funding, since we are a stronger, more secure country when we fund all of DHS, not just a part of it?

Again, Republicans have voted to fund the TSA at least 6 times in the past 2 weeks, and Democrats have voted at least 6 times not to fund the TSA.

Therefore, I ask that the Senator modify her request so that the Senate may proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 156, H.R. 4553. I further ask that the substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source