Dick Durbin: “tomorrow, on February 27, the Department of Homeland Security will run out of money and be forced to at least partially…”

“tomorrow, on February 27, the Department of Homeland Security will run out of money and be forced to at least partially shut down. This is the Department responsible for protecting America against terrorism. It faces a government shutdown in about 24 hours. Last year the congressional Republicans insisted that when we pass the overall Federal budget we cut out of it the Department of Homeland Security and not fully fund the Department. They insisted on this so they could enter into a debate with the President over the issue of immigration, and the House of Representatives sent us funding for this Department contingent on five anti-immigration riders going after the President's position on immigration. They have created an artificial, unnecessary, dangerous funding crisis. I have come to the floor over the last several weeks while this has been under consideration in the Senate urging the passage of a clean appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security. I was heartened yesterday by the overwhelming vote of 98 to 2 to move toward passing this clean appropriations bill. It appears we have finally come together on a bipartisan basis to fund this critical agency at the eleventh hour. Sadly, there is no response from the House of Representatives as to whether they will even consider the timely funding for this Department, so we run the real risk we will have to shut down this Department and put America at risk as a result.…”