On the recordFebruary 9, 2015
I will read parts of the article: If Homeland Security funding lapses on Feb. 27, the agency will be pushed into a partial shutdown even as the terrorist threat is at the forefront of public attention with the Charlie Hebdo and Islamic State murders. Imagine if the Transportation Security Administration, a unit of DHS, fails to intercept an Islamic State agent en route to Detroit. So Republicans are facing what is likely to be another embarrassing political retreat and more intra-party recriminations. The GOP's restrictionist wing will blame the leadership for a failure they share responsibility for, and the rest of America will wonder anew about the gang that couldn't shoot straight. This is about as serious as anything could be. We need to fund this agency which is so vitally important to our country. We need to pass a clean bill--the bipartisan bill that Speaker Boehner and the majority leader agreed to in November--and give the American people the protection they deserve. Anything less is not good, is a disaster for our country, and really is very, very bad to protect our homeland. Reservation Of Leader Time The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Ernst). Under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved. ____________________
