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Congressman Dan Kildee Cosponsors Bill to Keep U.S. Department of Homeland Security Open

February 13, 2015

Agency Shutdown Looms in 15 Days as House Fails to Take up Clean Funding Bill; Shutdown Threatens Those Protecting U.S. from Terror Attacks

Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05) has cosponsored legislation to fully fund the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through the end of the fiscal year and avert a looming shutdown. Unless Congress acts by February 28th, DHS, which is tasked with preventing and responding to acts of terrorism on American soil, will shut down.

"Speaker Boehner shouldn't be playing political games with our national security and the safety of our country," Congressman Kildee said. "Right now, the Department of Homeland Security is forced to spend time preparing contingency plans and layoff notices to thousands of employees instead of focusing 100 percent of its time on protecting our homeland. All because the Republican Congress has failed to do its job. It's time that Speaker Boehner bring a bill to the floor that will ensure our border patrol agents, airport security officers and active duty coast guard – the people who protect us every day – aren't forced to do their jobs without pay." Yesterday, House Republicans unanimously voted to block consideration of the clean bill to fund the department. As of today, there are only 15 calendar days – and just four legislative days – until DHS shuts down. A shutdown would close the bulk of DHS's management and homeland security infrastructure support that was built following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Consequences of a shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security would include: shuttering the DHS Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, which would no longer alert and coordinate with local law enforcement agencies, and would withhold grants that pay for critical nuclear detection capabilities in cities across the country; halting Research and Development work on countermeasures for devastating biological threats, on nuclear detection equipment, and on cargo and passenger screening technologies; crippling the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) preparations for future disasters, which involves furloughing 22 percent of FEMA personnel; and stopping training activities for federal and local law enforcement. Congressman Kildee has been leading the charge on the House floor all week urging Speaker Boehner to immediately take up his bill, H.R. 681, to fully fund DHS. "The American people are tired of this, I know other Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle are tired of this. Bring a clean Homeland Security funding bill to the floor," Congressman Kildee said in a speech on the House floor this morning.