“Right now, the Department of Homeland Security remains closed. Democrats shut it down. For 35 days, they have blocked every effort to reopen it. Democrats need to vote with Republicans to reopen the Department of Homeland Security.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) today spoke ahead of a vote to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security, which Democrats have kept shutdown for 35 days.

Click HERE to watch Senator Barrasso’s remarks.

Sen. Barrasso’s remarks as prepared:

“The Senate will soon confirm Senator Markwayne Mullin to lead the Department of Homeland Security. The Department of Homeland Security needs Senator Mullin’s trustworthy leadership. The Department also needs to be fully funded.

“Right now, the Department of Homeland Security remains closed. Democrats shut it down. For 35 days, they have blocked every effort to reopen it. Democrats need to vote with Republicans to reopen the Department of Homeland Security. Americans need and deserve safety and security. Democrats are preventing it.

“Americans are on high alert after multiple attacks by radical Islamic terrorists across the nation. Americans have died. Democrats have blood on their hands. A terrorist forcefully rammed his truck loaded with explosives into a synagogue and preschool in Michigan. There were staff, teachers, and over 100 children inside. Had it not been for the quick acting security guards, they could have all been killed. We later learned that the terrorist’s brother was a commander in the terror group Hezbollah.

“At Old Dominion University in Virginia, another terrorist shot and killed a decorated ROTC instructor. In New York City, two terrorists threw homemade bombs into a crowd. In Texas, a terrorist shot into a crowded establishment. The terrorist was wearing a sweatshirt that said, ‘Property of Allah.’ Three people were killed. Dozens were wounded.

“At the same time, Iran launched a major cyberattack on a medical device company in Michigan. Because of that attack, hospitals around the nation had to temporarily pause transmitting vital sign data from patients. The Wall Street Journal noted this week that the cyberattack ‘shows the reach of Iran’s cyber capabilities.’

“The Department of Homeland Security was created after 9/11 to stop exactly these kinds of attacks. Yet, because the Democrats shut down the Department, our nation is more vulnerable to terrorist attacks and cyberattacks.

“Republicans stand ready to end this Democrat shutdown. We are ready to do it today. The White House outlined an entire list of bipartisan solutions. They did so this week in a letter to Congress. They include expanding the use of body cameras for officers and making IDs for officers clearly visible. Democrats have rejected all our good faith offers. They’ve rejected bipartisan solutions.

“Instead, Democrats are trying to peel apart the Department of Homeland Security. Piecemeal Democrat bills cannot hide the fact that Democrats caused this shutdown. If Democrats think they can avoid blame for this shut down of American security, they are wrong.

“Democrats need to listen to President Obama’s Secretary of Homeland Security. His name is Jeh Johnson. Johnson had a warning this weekend for the Democrats. He said, ‘If ever there was a time we needed to fund the Department of Homeland Security, it’s right now.’ He went on to say, ‘You need all 22 components of Homeland Security functioning all at once, side-by-side.’ This is the statement of a Democrat. He ran this Department for Barack Obama. Now he is telling Democrats on this floor to fund all of it.

“Senate Democrats have clearly lost direction and lost the argument.

“One of the components of the Department of Homeland Security is Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In 2019, Senator Schumer told NBC News that ‘ICE does some functions that are very much needed.’ Now, Senator Schumer wants to abolish ICE. Senate Democrats wants to abolish ICE. They want to defund law enforcement.

“First, they tried to Defund the Police. Now, they are actively defunding American Security. This radical position is now the default policy of today’s Democrat Party.

“So what are those necessary functions that Senator Schumer used to support but now he wants to defund? One of them is called Homeland Security Investigations. They are part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 7,100 special agents work for Homeland Security Investigations. They do vital work that keeps America safe. This week alone, these hardworking agents helped to seize over 170 pounds of methamphetamine in Utah. Additionally, they arrested a child trafficker in California who was trafficking not one but two children. They helped to investigate and arrest an illegal immigrant in Louisiana who was a member of the terrorist group MS-13.

“Senate Democrats are now defunding the American heroes who stop drug cartels, stop terrorists, and rescue children from human traffickers. The actions of the Democrats make America less safe. It is time they start protecting our nation’s security.

“Republicans will vote again today to fund the Department of Homeland Security. We will fund it the right way – fully and immediately. Democrats are the only ones standing in the way. Blood is on their hands. The American people will hold them accountable.”

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