Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued a statement on Mar. 27 following the Senate's vote to pass the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding package.
The passage of this legislation is significant because it aims to end a shutdown at DHS and restore operations that affect national security and federal employees. The shutdown began after disagreements over bipartisan funding measures for the department.
Collins said, “Passage of this package brings us closer to ending the reckless and harmful shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security that Democrats triggered when they walked away from the bipartisan funding bill for the Department. That original bill contained new safeguards and oversight to protect the American public and our law enforcement, including additional funding for body-worn cameras and deescalation training.”
She also described Republican efforts over five weeks to reach an agreement: “Republicans offered proposals to expand the use of body-worn cameras; limit civil immigration enforcement in sensitive areas such as schools and hospitals; increase oversight of detention facilities; and implement visible officer identification.” Collins continued, “While Republicans worked in good faith to try to reach agreement, Democrats remained intransigent and unreasonable with their list of demands.”
Collins criticized Congressional Democrats for what she described as damaging actions: “Congressional Democrats have done real damage to the appropriations process by repeatedly forcing government shutdowns and refusing to fund entire agencies. Their refusal to fund ICE and Border Patrol leaves our borders and our country less secure and sets a precedent that they may one day come to regret.” She added that today’s action moves toward ending disruptions at DHS which have affected airport operations, cyber security, disaster response efforts, and pay for federal employees.
The Senate Appropriations Committee oversees federal expenditures as mandated by law, ensuring accountability in public money management according to its official website. The committee manages legislation related to federal funding, conducts hearings on spending proposals, oversees government programs according to its official website, draws its authority from constitutional requirements according to its official website, has included past chairmen like Lot Morrill from Maine according to its official website, has influenced spending on issues like trade according to its official website, and is known for producing appropriations bills such as those related specifically to homeland security according to its official website.
Looking ahead, Collins said she remains committed "to ensuring adequate funding to secure our borders."
