Annie Kuster: “The Department of Homeland Security is charged with safeguarding our Nation from acts of terrorism, drug trafficking…”

“The Department of Homeland Security is charged with safeguarding our Nation from acts of terrorism, drug trafficking, and many other serious threats. Whether they serve in the Coast Guard, Border Patrol, Customs and Border Protection, or elsewhere, the men and women who work for the Department of Homeland Security in my home State of New Hampshire and across this country play a vital role in keeping our families safe; yet Congress is poised to shut down DHS this Friday for partisan political reasons. This would undermine our security and impact hardworking men and women from across my district, like Darrell, from Groveton, New Hampshire, who serves in the Coast Guard, and Lee, another Granite Stater, who works for Customs and Border Protection. She wrote to me recently and said: ``No one wins if this political standoff continues.'' I agree. We were elected to work together in the best interest of those we represent, not to play partisan political games. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the House bring up H.R. 861, the clean Department of Homeland Security funding bill that would keep the Department of Homeland Security open so it can carry out its mission of keeping the American people safe. The SPEAKER pro tempore.…”