Debate Homeland Security Funding

On February 27, funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will run out. At this critical time in our country’s national security, it is important that we fully fund our homeland security needs.

With the expiration of homeland security funding drawing closer, Senate Democrats are insisting that Congress pass an appropriations bill that implements the president’s executive order making major changes to our immigration law, even though this issue is clearly the responsibility of the people’s elected representatives.

Their argument is that unless Republicans choose to accept President Obama’s unlawful exercise of executive power then the GOP will be responsible for any lapse in funding. Nothing could be further from the truth.

In 2008, presidential candidate Barack Obama said, “I take the Constitution very seriously. The biggest problems that we’re facing right now have to do with trying to bring more and more power into the executive branch and not go through Congress at all. And that’s what I intend to reverse when I’m President of the United States of America.”

Then in 2011, that same candidate, now the president of the United States, remarked that, “With respect to the notion that I can just suspend deportations through executive order, that’s just not the case, because there are laws on the books that Congress has passed.”

And in 2013, President Obama stated, “I’m not a king. You know, my job as the head of the executive branch ultimately is to carry out the law. And, you know, when it comes to enforcement of our immigration laws, we’ve got some discretion. We can prioritize what we do. But we can’t simply ignore the law.”

Despite these and many other public comments from President Obama about how he could not change existing immigration law via executive order, late last year he chose to ignore the wishes of the American people and grant amnesty via executive action. This decision was greeted by a torrent of criticism, and not just from Republicans. At least eight Senate Democrats voiced concern over the president’s go-it-alone strategy on immigration.

Republicans in the House and the Senate have been working hard to pass legislation that would fully fund DHS while also holding President Obama accountable for his lawless executive amnesty. Unfortunately, Senate Democrats have repeatedly chosen to block debate on the House-passed DHS funding bill in order to defend the very executive overreach many of them denounced.

This is an extremely important issue with great significance to all Americans, which is why Republicans are offering a fair and open debate that would allow for amendments from both parties. We want to ensure every senator’s voice is heard. Unfortunately, Democrats have rejected this debate.

Unless they agree to debate this issue – not necessarily to agree with Republicans, but just to engage in debate – the Department of Homeland Security will not receive the vital funding it needs. Failing to do so will mean that Democrats are willing to prioritize an unconstitutional power grab over funding our homeland security priorities.

Senator Dan Coats (R-IN)