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In a heated exchange during a Congressional hearing on Wednesday, Ohio Republican Senator Bernie Moreno sharply criticized his Democratic colleagues over the ongoing partial government shutdown that has left nearly 260,000 Department of Homeland Security employees without pay for more than a month.
During the confirmation hearing for Senator Markwayne Mullin as Homeland Security Secretary, Moreno used his allotted time to highlight the human cost of the political standoff, focusing on the families affected by the shutdown.
“260,000 American citizen families who have not received a paycheck in over a month. None of those people are in charge of policy,” Moreno said, visibly frustrated. “There isn’t a single human being on this dais that has missed a paycheck. Every single one of us has gotten a paycheck the last 30 days and before that.”
The freshman senator from Ohio called out what he viewed as political posturing at the expense of government workers, referring to social media videos some lawmakers have posted about the shutdown. “They’re having to tell their kids they can’t send them to dance recital because they did everything right in life except got a job with the Department of Homeland Security so that a politician can make a 30-second video online to fundraiser for the next election,” he said. “That’s disgusting.”
Moreno specifically referenced a video posted by New Jersey Democratic Senator Cory Booker, who had pledged to vote against DHS funding until reforms are made to the agency.
The confrontation intensified when Moreno directed his criticism toward Michigan Democratic Senator Gary Peters, the ranking member of the Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee. Moreno accused Peters of failing to keep his promise to fund key agencies and called it “incredibly disrespectful” when Peters appeared not to be paying attention during his remarks.
To illustrate his point, Moreno displayed a large poster board detailing how DHS missions were being compromised by the shutdown. He emphasized that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) – the agency through which he himself became a U.S. citizen – has been effectively defunded during the shutdown.
“USCIS is near and dear to my heart. That’s how I became a US citizen. We’ve defunded the agency that allows legal immigrants into this country. That is insane,” Moreno stated. “Never hear the Democrats talk about that. 3,300 employees, trying to process legal immigrants. They don’t get a paycheck.”
The senator also highlighted the impact on Customs and Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), challenging Democrats to be specific about which security functions they were willing to leave unfunded. “When you say you don’t want to fund ICE, I want you to say the words ‘we do not want to fund 7,000 special agents that are in charge of stopping transnational criminal organizations, drug smugglers, and human traffickers,'” Moreno said.
The contentious hearing comes amid growing frustration over the partial shutdown, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune accusing Democratic leadership just a day earlier of holding DHS agencies “hostage” during appropriations negotiations.
The shutdown has created significant operational challenges across DHS components, affecting not only border security and immigration services but also transportation security, cybersecurity operations, and emergency management capabilities. Airport security lines have grown longer in some locations as Transportation Security Administration employees continue working without pay.
As the political impasse continues, federal worker unions have reported increasing financial hardship among their members, with some employees facing difficult choices between paying for housing, medical care, or other essential expenses.
Senator Peters’ office did not respond to requests for comment on Moreno’s accusations.
The confirmation hearing for Senator Mullin, President Trump’s nominee for Homeland Security Secretary, continues against this backdrop of partisan disagreement over DHS funding priorities and immigration policy.
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8 Comments
Shutdowns like this erode public trust in government. Lawmakers on both sides need to find a compromise that restores stability and ensures federal employees receive the paychecks they’ve rightfully earned.
Well said. Government functions should not be held hostage to partisan gridlock. The American people deserve better from their elected officials.
It’s concerning to hear that even essential DHS employees are being impacted by this political stalemate. Lawmakers need to put partisan differences aside and prioritize the wellbeing of government workers and their communities.
Absolutely. These public servants deserve to be paid for the critical work they do, regardless of the political circumstances. Hopefully a resolution can be reached soon.
This is a disgraceful situation. Government shutdowns should not leave hundreds of thousands of hardworking Americans without pay. Political posturing at the expense of public servants is unacceptable.
I agree, the human cost of these shutdowns is devastating. Families shouldn’t have to choose between necessities like dance recitals and making ends meet.
It’s disheartening to see the real human impact of this political stalemate. Government workers and their families are the ones suffering the consequences, through no fault of their own.
This shutdown is clearly taking a heavy toll on affected workers and their families. While policy debates are important, they should not come at the expense of people’s livelihoods and basic needs.