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Floor Speech
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Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, for 41 days, Democrats have kept the Department of Homeland Security shut down--41 days. This is on top of Chuck Schumer's 43-day shutdown last fall.
Thanks to Senate Democrats, right now, 50,000 TSA agents have been working without pay since February 14. No wonder they are quitting: So far, 480 and counting.
Democrats walked out on TSA. Because of them, it hasn't been a surprise that TSA agents have walked out of their jobs.
An agent in Indiana hasn't seen a full paycheck since Valentine's Day. She is now doing her grocery shopping at a food pantry.
One married couple who both work as TSA agents at the Orlando International Airport have two young children. When faced with no income coming in, the husband started working as a DoorDash driver in his spare time and is considering resigning from TSA.
These are just a few of the hard-working folks whom this shutdown is hurting.
My Democrat colleagues seem to forget that bills are due and expenses must be paid each month, regardless of the political games they want to play with government funding, all because Democrats wanted to create chaos under President Trump.
It is sad, folks. They hate this President more than they love America and the men and women who protect our homeland.
It is clear Democrat priorities have been all wrong. My Democrat colleague Chris Murphy said the quiet part out loud the other day. He said:
[T]he people we care about most--the undocumented . . .
Folks, the people every elected Representative should care the most for should be their constituents--the American people. But that sums up Democrats' DHS shutdown. They would rather make a political point than to do their jobs.
While we have been waiting on them to come to their senses, Democrats have created the longest wait times in TSA history and have also caused 660 canceled flights. So, if you have been stuck standing in line at the airport for a few extra hours, call Chuck Schumer. We have literally been waiting on him to pass this bill.
Angry? tired? frustrated because of delays?
Call Chuck Schumer.
Missed a flight?
Call Chuck Schumer.
And if you missed a paycheck because of Democrats' shutdown--right here, folks--call Chuck Schumer because Republicans presented him with compromises to make sure folks get paid and we can keep Americans safe, but he has been like Lucy with Charlie Brown's football. Democrats have claimed they just want a few reforms, but when a deal is right in front of them, Schumer moves the ball.
Well, not today, Charlie.
Look, folks. We need to get this done not only because it is the right thing to do for hard-working Americans who have earned their paychecks but because safety and security are on the line.
After Democrats shut down DHS, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, an American company faced a cyber attack from Iran. Meanwhile, teens brought explosives to a New York City protest--Schumer's home State--and were charged with attempting to provide materiel support to ISIS.
If that isn't a wake-up call, I don't know what is. But while Schumer has his own bodyguards and Members of Congress have funding for personal security, Democrats are leaving our homeland and our communities vulnerable.
Enough of the Washington double standards. Republicans have stood ready and willing to fund DHS. We have voted for it--Republicans have voted for it--11 times. Meanwhile, Democrats have voted down our efforts every single time.
While our Democrat colleagues have refused to join us to end unnecessary pain for thousands of Americans, President Trump is pushing through the politics and is paying our TSA agents, bringing wait times down, and keeping our citizens safe.
Now Democrats must join us in doing their jobs and actually fund the rest of DHS to fully protect our homeland. There is no time to delay.
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