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BREAKING: Ron Johnson Says No Such Thing As A DHS Shutdown

Shocking Statement From Chair Of Homeland Security Committee Just Hours Before A Potential Shutdown

Ron Johnson has once again stepped in it while trying to defend his support for a shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. Yesterday on the Vicki McKenna radio show, Johnson agreed with the host who said there “will be no such thing as a shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.”

Excuse me?

Already, local fire departments in Wisconsin have been dealing with the effects of Ron Johnson’s political games. And all the DHS employees who would be furloughed or required to work without pay in a shutdown? Johnson’s already indicated that’s no big deal.

Johnson previously indicated that a DHS shutdown wouldn’t hurt national security, and he even had to bereminded by a Fox News host that, as chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, the responsibility for preventing a shutdown was on his shoulders.

“Either Ron Johnson is so unbelievably out of touch with his constituents in Wisconsin who oppose a DHS shutdown that’s he’s attempting to purposely mislead them about the national security and public safety repercussions, or he is honestly confused about the department and should resign as Chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee,” said DSCC National Press Secretary Sadie Weiner. “Despite the fact that national security experts from both parties agree a shutdown would be harmful and local first responders in Wisconsin are already dealing with the consequences, Ron Johnson refuses to admit even the most basic reality that he is driving us towards a shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. A DHS shutdown might be a laughing matter for Ron Johnson, but he ought to tell the first responders, border security agents, and Coast Guard that there’s no such thing as a shutdown and see how well that goes over.”

BACKGROUND

JOHNSON SAID THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS A DHS SHUTDOWN

Johnson Agreed That There Would Be No Such Thing As A DHS Shutdown: “I’ve Pointed That Out… I Paid A Price For Pointing It Out.” In February 2015 Sen. Ron Johnson interview on the Vicki McKenna radio show: “MCKENNA: Here’s another proposal. Because the thing is, it seems like we always walk up to the eleventh hour. And then we say, ‘Okay, we’ll now we’re stuck.’ I agree, if on Friday, even though it won’t – there will be no such thing as a shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. JOHNSON: And I’ve pointed that out. MCKENNA: Yes, you have. In fact, you were the first one to point that out. JOHNSON: I paid a price for pointing it out. MCKENNA: Yes, you did. JOHNSON: [Chuckles]” [Ron Johnson on Vicki McKenna Show, 2/25/15]

 

DHS SECRETARIES OF BOTH PARTIES SAID FUNDING THE DEPARTMENT WAS “CRITICAL”

Former DHS Secretaries: DHS Funding “Critical to Ensuring Our Nation is Safe From Harm.” In a letter for Senators Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid, former DHS Secretaries Tom Ridge, Janet Napolitano, and Michael Chertoff wrote: “The national security role that DHS plays, and by extension he funding that allows it to carry out its vital national security mission, is critical to ensuring that our nation is safe from harm. Funding for the DHS is used to protect our ports and our borders; to secure our air travel and cargo; to protect the federal government and our nation’s information, technology, and infrastructure from cyber-attacks; to fund essential law enforcement activities; to guard against violent extremists; to mobilize response networks after emergencies; and to ensure the safety of the president and national leaders.” [Letter to Senators Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid, Jan 2015]

DHS Secretary Johnson: “We Can’t Do A Lot of Things for Border Security. Our Counterterrorism Efforts Are Limited” In Case of DHS Shutdown. In a January 2015 interview with MSNBC, DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said: “That means that as long as we are on a C.R., we cannot engage in new starts, new spending, new initiatives, new grants to state and local law enforcement to fund homeland security missions. We can’t put in place the independent panel that recommended changes to the secret service has suggested we do. We can’t do a lot of things for border security. Our counterterrorism efforts are limited. And my concern is that we not play political volleyball with our budget. We need an appropriation that is stood up on February 27th so we can go forward with a full year’s appropriations so we can fund these very vital things to homeland security.” [MSNBC, 1/28/15]

 

IN A SHUTDOWN, THOUSANDS OF DHS EMPLOYEES WOULD BE FURLOUGHED AND MOST WOULD HAVE TO WORK WITHOUT PAY

CRS: Most DHS Employees Required To Work During Shutdown Were Not Paid During Funding Lapse. According to the Congressional Research Service, ““Of DHS’s estimated 231,117 civilian and military employees, nearly 200,000 were projected to be exempted from the emergency furlough, according to the department. Most of these employees relied on annual appropriations for their salaries, and therefore were not paid during the funding lapse.” [CRS Report, FY 2014 Appropriations Lapse and the Department of Homeland Security, 10/24/13]

DHS Employees Required to Work Without Pay in Case of a Shutdown Include Border Patrol Agents, TSA Officers, and Coast Guard. “According to the Congressional Research Service, “DHS personnel who continue to work without passage of annual appropriations or a continuing resolution generally fall into two categories: those whose activities are not funded through one year appropriations and those whose work is necessary for the preservation of the safety of human life or the protection of property.4 The former generally continue to be paid as scheduled, contingent on the availability of funds, whereas the latter are not paid while the lapse in annual appropriations continues.” Work That is Necessary for the Safety of Human Life or Protection of Property: includes Customs and Border Protection, TSA, US Coast Guard and Others. [CRS Report, FY 2014 Appropriations Lapse and the Department of Homeland Security, 10/24/13]

Homeland Security Secretary Preparing to Furlough At Least 30,000 Workers if Congress Fails to Pass Funding Bill. As reported by CNN, “Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson says he will have to furlough at least 30,000 workers if Congress doesn’t approve its funding by the end of this month.” [CNN, 2/8/15]

·         HEADLINE – Jeh Johnson: Furloughs Coming at DHS if Funding Stalls. [CNN, 2/8/15]

Homeland Security Furloughs Would Include 80 Percent of FEMA Employees. As reported by CNN, “He said even though some employees of the expansive department would stay on if it was shut down, he’d have to furlough at least 30,000 employees — including 80% of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.” [CNN, 2/8/15]

 

UNDER A SHUTDOWN, BORDER SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT WOULD BE AT RISK

Homeland Security Secretary: Without Bump in Funding Won’t Be Able to Fund New Initiatives for Border Security, Grants for State and Local Law Enforcement. As reported by CNN, “He also argued for Congress to bump the agency’s funding, rather than keeping it at last year’s levels through a continuing resolution. He said otherwise, he won’t be allowed to fund new initiatives for border security, hire extra Secret Service agents for the 2016 presidential election cycle or fund equipment grants for state and local law enforcement agencies.” [CNN, 2/8/15]

In DHS Shutdown, Investments in New Border Surveillance Would Be Put On Hold. As reported by National Journal, “Additionally, investing in new border surveillance would be put on hold. DHS’s non-disaster grants, which go to state and local municipalities, will go unfunded. And the budget uncertainty could potentially delay the delivery of a National Security Cutter, which is the centerpiece of the Coast Guard’s fleet, according to a DHS official.” [National Journal, 1/5/15]

DHS Shutdown Would Suspend All Grants to State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies. As reported by The Hill, “Many state and local law enforcement and emergency agencies rely on federal grants facilitated through DHS for hiring new employees and purchasing new equipment. But under a shutdown, all non-disaster related grant programs would be suspended.” [The Hill, 2/6/15]

Most DHS Employees Including Border Patrol and Customs Officers Would Be Forced to Work Without Paychecks During DHS Shutdown. As reported by The Hill, “Of the more than 230,000 employees who work for DHS, the vast majority — around 200,000 — would continue to work, but without paychecks. The ‘essential’ employees who would remain on the job include the department’s 40,000 border patrol and customs officers, 50,000 TSA screeners, 13,000 immigration law enforcement officers, 40,000 active duty Coast Guard members, and 4,000 Secret Service agents.” [The Hill, 2/6/15]

In DHS Shutdown, Investments in New Border Surveillance Would Be Put On Hold. As reported by National Journal, “Additionally, investing in new border surveillance would be put on hold. DHS’s non-disaster grants, which go to state and local municipalities, will go unfunded. And the budget uncertainty could potentially delay the delivery of a National Security Cutter, which is the centerpiece of the Coast Guard’s fleet, according to a DHS official.” [National Journal, 1/5/15]

Clean DHS Funding Bill Includes Additional $20 Million For Border Surveillance Technology and Additional $42 Million for Air and Marine Border Patrol Activities. According to the Senate Appropriations Committee summary of the FY 2015 DHS appropriations bill, “The bill provides $12.582 billion for Customs and Border Protection (CBP), $3 million less than the request and $299 million more than fiscal year 2014. This level: Provides $20 million more than the request for border surveillance technology and $42 million more than the request for air and marine activities, ensuring at least 95,000 hours of flight for patrolling our land and maritime borders. [Senate Appropriations Committee, S.272, 1/28/15]

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