House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Andrew R. Garbarino testified before the House Committee on Rules on Mar. 24 in support of H.Res.1128, a resolution introduced by Representative Ryan Mackenzie. The resolution calls for full funding of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and expresses gratitude to DHS employees working without pay during an ongoing government shutdown.
The issue is significant as it affects national security operations and the livelihoods of tens of thousands of federal workers. Senate Democrats have continued to block funding for DHS, despite bipartisan appropriations bills passed by House Republicans earlier in January and March.
In introducing the resolution, Mackenzie said, “Partisanship from the far left has put politics ahead of our national security and stripped frontline workers of their paychecks. At a time of heightened risk to our national security, it’s critical that our nation’s security apparatus is fully operational.”
During his testimony, Garbarino described how various agencies within DHS—including the Coast Guard, Secret Service, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Transportation Security Administration (TSA)—continue their missions without pay. He highlighted impacts such as increased TSA agent call-out rates exceeding ten percent daily at some airports, long wait times at major hubs like Houston and Atlanta, closed checkpoints in Philadelphia due to officer absences, and more than one billion dollars in lost wages each month.
Garbarino also referenced recent acts of violence across several states during the shutdown period as well as upcoming events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and America 250 celebrations that will require robust homeland security efforts.
He concluded by emphasizing Congress’s responsibility: “Voting for this resolution is voting to support those people. It’s voting to reassure all Americans that Congress will defend their safety and security. And it’s voting to ensure this vital Department upholds its post-9/11 mission.”
