House Committee on Homeland Security Republicans said on March 22 that the continued lack of funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is putting strain on employees and public safety. The lapse comes after Senate Democrats blocked a bipartisan Fiscal Year 2026 DHS appropriations bill passed by the House, leaving about 250,000 DHS workers either working without pay or placed on leave.
The issue is significant because it affects not only federal operations but also state and local law enforcement partnerships and national security. Republican committee members argue that failing to fund DHS undermines efforts to protect Americans against terrorism, cyber threats, and other dangers.
Subcommittee Chairman August Pfluger said, “They’re deliberately blocking DHS employees, 100,000 employees, by the way, from doing their job. And let’s remember, their whole job...is to protect America...There are reports out of places like DFW that TSA agents are having to sell plasma just to make ends meet and to pay the bills. I mean, this is one of the most tragic things that I have seen that they can’t even come to the table to fund the people that are there to protect them.”
Representative Gabe Evans emphasized how vital federal support is for state and local law enforcement: “Well, the first thing…specifically the Democrats in the Senate can do to support our state and local law enforcement is fund the Department of Homeland Security...One of the things that came out of 9/11 was a realization that we need better integration between federal, state, and local law enforcement when it comes to tracking known or suspected terrorists...That’s where these concepts like fusion centers came from.” He added concerns about intelligence gaps caused by funding delays: “When 46 Senate Democrats absolutely refuse to fund [DHS], that is a big blind spot...because they get a lot of intelligence around this from our federal partners.”
Evans also commented on political divisions affecting security: “Unfortunately…the radical leftist Democrats in the United States today aren’t proud of America…You do have folks in the United States susceptible…to lend material support or engage in acts of terrorism when you have a major political party struggling…to condemn Hamas [and] Hezbollah…”
On cybersecurity threats during this shutdown period, Representative Vince Fong warned about increased risks: “When you talk about robotics [and] AI…they’re trying to infiltrate our systems…You just saw last week there was a state-sponsored Iranian cyber hack when it comes to medical devices. China has been doing these cyberattacks for a very long time…So we need to take these risks seriously. This is why we need to reopen [DHS]. Every single agency tasked with protecting American security needs operating at full strength.” Fong further stated: “China and Russia and Iran have been coordinating for a very long time…The fact that we have our cybersecurity agency not operating at full strength is very concerning.”
Representative Sheri Biggs highlighted both employee hardships and broader dangers: “I know my party…the Republican Party knows how important this is right now—to have Homeland Security up…and running full force…We talk about TSA workers missing their paychecks…and my heart goes out…but…I think it’s foolish [not] putting America’s safety first.”
A hearing with testimony from officials at FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), TSA (Transportation Security Administration), U.S. Coast Guard, and CISA (Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency) will be held by committee members as discussions continue over restoring full funding.
