AUMF

Floor Speech

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Ms. WARREN. Mr. President, over the last two weeks Republicans in
Congress have insisted on playing political games with funding for the
Department of Homeland Security. The same agency that supports States
such as Massachusetts when disasters hit, the same agency that provides
grants for equipment to keep firefighters safe when they rush into
burning buildings, the same agency that helps train and fund local
police, the same agency that tracks down weapons that terrorists can
use to threaten our safety here at home, the same agency that keeps our
borders and airports safe--this is the agency the Republicans are
willing to shut down. Why? Why put America at such risk? Because
Republicans want to protest the steps President Obama has taken to try
to address our country's immigration challenges.

This is not a responsible way to govern. This is a dangerous way to
govern. There are real threats out there, from ISIS in the Middle East
to cyber threats, to acts of terror such as the one in Paris earlier
this year.

DHS gives funding to State and local governments to help them prevent
terror attacks. Massachusetts received over $30 million in these grants
just last year alone. If DHS shuts down, that funding dries up, leaving
our firefighters, our police, and our EMTs hanging, putting the safety
of every American at risk.

Think about the Customs and Border Protection agents, who screen
people traveling into the United States through our airports, and the
men and women of the Coast Guard who patrol our waters. They will still
have to work those tough, sometimes dangerous jobs, but if the
Republicans shut down the Department of Homeland Security, these people
just won't get paid. Tens of thousands of workers nationwide could be
working to help keep us safe and not get a paycheck to cover their
groceries and rent. That is no way to treat the people who protect this
country.

The solution is simple. Last year Democrats and Republicans agreed on
a bipartisan bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security. That
bill was ready to go until the Republicans decided they wanted to play
politics. They decided to hold the Department of Homeland Security
hostage to try to force the President to reverse an Executive order on
immigration. That Department of Homeland Security funding bill is still
ready to go. We could vote on it today and be done with all of this.
Everyone who works to protect our safety would keep on working and keep
on getting paid.

A few days ago the Boston Globe wrote an editorial about this, and
they said:

The game of political chicken has to end with the
Republicans blinking. It's one thing to disagree with a
President's executive actions, but it's another thing
altogether to hold crucial funding for a wide range of
security programs hostage.

I couldn't agree more.

I ask unanimous consent that the full text of the editorial be
printed in the Record.

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Ms. WARREN. Let's be clear. If Republicans in the Senate don't change
course, they will shut down the Department of Homeland Security and
compromise the safety of the American people, and they will have done
it because a handful of extremists in the Republican Party are angry at
the President because he is trying to fix what we all know is a broken
immigration system. Well, if they are angry about the President's
immigration policy, let's debate the President's immigration policy.
Last Congress the Senate passed a bipartisan bill to address
immigration. Let's debate that bill again. Or if they want to propose a
new bill, let's vote on that. But don't play games with the safety of
the American people.

The way forward is clear. We need to pass a bill to fund the
Department of Homeland Security.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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