Alabama Delegation Split Along Party Lines On DHS Funding – Again
The Alabama Congressional House Delegation voted along party lines today as the U.S. House of Representatives ok'd a Republican bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). All of the state's GOP house members voted yea, the two Democrats voted nay in the 218-206 vote. This is the third time the lower chamber has approved the bill. The previous two bills were killed by Democrats in the senate, which is expected to also be the fate of this legislation.
West Alabama Democrat Congresswoman Terri Sewell and South Alabama Democrat Congressman Shomari Figures have steadfastly voted with their party in their call to reform immigration enforcement before fully funding DHS. That is the main stumbling block to fully funding DHS and resuming pay for TSA and other DHS employees.
The Trump Administration and Congressional Democrats exchanged counter proposals to immediately fund DHS while utilizing a reconciliation package to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Democratic Party leadership rejected the proposal.
"Republicans have once again voted to pay our TSA, Secret Service, Coast Guard, cybersecurity experts, FEMA, and all DHS personnel.," West Alabama Republican Congressman Robert Aderholt posted on X (formerly Twitter). "Americans across the country continue to still feel the effects of the Democrat DHS Shutdown."
The future for today's house budget passage looks as bleak as the two previous ones that failed. Some members of the Republican leadership have said the bill moving from the lower to the upper chamber may be the GOP's final offer.
Alabama Junior U.S. Senator Katie Britt is one of the GOP's lead negotiators. She told reporters at the capitol she is still optimistic, “I think we stand shoulder to shoulder with our law enforcement officers, and we’re gonna make sure that they have their resources and the funding they need,”
Both parties are feeling pressure from voters who are having to deal with hours long waits to go through security checks at airports due to the standoff between the two parties.
In his weekly call with reporters, Tuberville said the TSA is “over bloated and inefficient”. While he’s thankful TSA workers are showing up without getting paid, Tuberville said it’s time for major change to airport security.
Critics have responded with suggestions that smaller airports such as Birmingham, Huntsville, Montgomery and Dothan could not afford to fund a private security contract.
If any progress is to be made to end the partial government stud down, it will have to be done by tomorrow. The house leaves on a two-week spring recess beginning next Friday.
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