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‘It Gets Very, Very Messy’: Joni Ernst Outlines How Democrats Continue To Obstruct DHS

Joni Ernst Shares Tactics Democrats Use To Obstruct DHS Funding (Screenshot/CNN)

Republican Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst on Wednesday accused Democrats of stalling funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) while frontline workers and travelers suffer the consequences.

The DHS has been shut down since Feb. 14, after lawmakers failed to agree on reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Appearing on “The Lead,” Ernst rejected the idea that Republicans are obstructing relief for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees and argued that her party has repeatedly pushed for a full funding package, only to be met with resistance from Democrats.

“We have voted over and over again to open up the government and support DHS, Department of Homeland Security, as a whole appropriations bill. Now, what the Democrats are insisting upon, we’re going to parse out this piece and that piece,” Ernst told Jake Tapper. “And if we do that, I guarantee you in the future, if I have an issue with a singular department at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, I’m going to say, ‘You know what? We’re not going to fund USDA until we fund or don’t fund this particular area.’ It gets very, very messy. We know that we need to fund DHS. Let’s do it as a whole.”

Ernst said resolving the DHS funding impasse is urgent.

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“Let’s come together. There is a way through this, and I know there is. We have to sit down. We have to work it out. Katie Britt, Senator Britt, is working this. She is in charge of DHS appropriations in the Senate. Democrats are refusing to sit down with Senator Britt and actually walk through what their demands are. So we know that the White House made a proposal to the Democrats 18 days ago.”

The White House already offered a series of concessions aimed at breaking the deadlock over funding DHS and ending the shutdown. In a letter sent Tuesday to Republican Maine Sen. Susan Collins and Alabama Sen. Katie Britt, the administration outlined five proposals intended to move negotiations forward. Officials said Democrats have resisted compromise and won’t support reopening the agency.

“Democrats must stop holding the safety and security of the American people hostage and move forward with fully funding DHS,” the letter said.

(Featured Image Media Credit: Screenshot/CNN)