McCollum Statement on Passage of Clean DHS Funding Bill

Washington - Today, Congress passed a clean, year-long funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security. Congresswoman Betty McCollum released the following statement after its passage.

“For months, my democratic colleagues and I have been urging a vote on a clean, long-term funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security. I am pleased that Republican leadership came to their senses and allowed that vote today. Why it took this long to get a clean up or down vote is beyond me, as obviously the bill enjoyed the support it needed to pass. The last several weeks and months of politicking have accomplished nothing, aside from creating uncertainty around our country’s preparedness against attacks.

“The good news is that the hundreds of thousands of DHS employees across the country, and the 1500 employed here in Minnesota will have certainty about their paychecks. These women and men do important work to keep us safe against threats in our communities, like the one against the Mall of America, and ensure that travelers are able to make their way safely and smoothly through Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport.

“Minnesotans and Americans can feel safer today with the certainty this bill brings to Homeland Security funding. However, there is no reason this funding should have ever been in question to begin with. It is my hope that in the future all appropriations bills that enjoy this kind of support are passed swiftly and are not used as leverage in political games.”

Congresswoman McCollum is the ranking Democratic member of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee and the Democratic Co-Chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus