Dan Kildee: “As you have heard, there are only 17 days until the GOP recklessly shuts down the Department of Homeland Security--and…”

“As you have heard, there are only 17 days until the GOP recklessly shuts down the Department of Homeland Security--and only 6 legislative days before that happens. We have a bipartisan bill that we have already agreed to. Bring it to the floor. We will be here. We can pass it today. When the majority leader was asked why we should pass the DHS funding bill, he said: ``Why do we have to?'' Seriously. This is about the safety of the American people. Rather than dealing with the safety of the American people, the Republican leadership has decided to continue to pander to the extreme Tea Party voices within their party. We ought to be taking this up as a matter of course and get back to the business of dealing with the big questions that people want us to take on, like how we can create an economy that is not rigged for the people at the top, with the rest of us paying the price. These are questions that people want us to deal with. We ought to set aside the politics of this Homeland Security bill and bring the bill that you have already agreed to, and we will vote on it and get on with the business of the American people. ____________________”