Dem
47
GOP
53
With all the attention for the war in Iran, many people have forgotten that DHS is still closed and has been for 41 days now. Except the people standing in line for 3 or 4 hours at poorly staffed TSA airport checkpoints. TSA workers are about to miss a second payday, and they are calling in sick at record rates. Some of them have found temporary work so they can put food on the table and pay the rent.
Meanwhile the fifth attempt to pass a DHS funding bill failed on Friday. Democrats want a number of changes made at ICE before they will support funding for DHS and Republicans are refusing. Democrats want all ICE agents to wear badges identifying themselves, wear bodycams, and not wear masks. They also want to ban ICE from entering hospitals, schools, churches and private homes without a warrant from an Art. III judge stating who or what is to be seized. Currently, ICE agents are using administrative warrants, which are just permission slips from Executive Branch employees, not real judges. On Saturday, Democrats offered a stand-alone bill to fund TSA, without funding the rest of DHS and that failed, too.
In an attempt to make some progress, border czar Tom Homan has met with a bipartisan group of senators several times. Democrats left the meeting with no comments. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, said: "The American people have had enough of this rogue agency. We need to rein it in." Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), the chair of the Appropriations Committee, said the White House had made "a very fair, reasonable offer."
Just a minute here. Last time we checked the Constitution, Congress had the power of the purse, not the president. Senate Democrats should be negotiating with Senate Republicans, not with the president. But Senate Republicans have basically conceded that they have no role in appropriating funds anymore. That is now the president's job. James Madison is probably rolling over in his grave. (V)