WASHINGTON
The US Senate minority leader on Wednesday urged Republican leader John Thune to split a government funding package, saying the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) bill lacks support after recent deadly shootings by federal agents in the state of Minnesota.
Speaking on the Senate floor, Chuck Schumer said the upper chamber is scheduled to take its first procedural vote Thursday on a six-bill funding package, but warned that including the DHS bill could derail efforts to avert a government shutdown ahead of the looming funding Jan. 30 deadline.
"The right way forward is simple. Five of these bills are ready to go, and the Senate should pass them as soon as possible," Schumer said.
Schumer said the sixth bill, funding for DHS, requires additional work in the aftermath of the killings of two Americans by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minnesota in recent weeks.
"Until ICE is properly reined in and overhauled, legislatively, the DHS funding bill doesn't have the votes to pass the Senate," he said, urging Thune not to bring all six to the floor together.
According to Schumer, passing the five non-DHS bills would fund roughly 96% of the federal government and allow lawmakers to focus negotiations on revising the DHS legislation.
"Given how little time we have left before the funding deadline, the first right step for the Senate is for Leader Thune to split the funding bills and put the five bills on the floor, 96% of federal funding, that can pass.
"It's the right and expedient thing to do to ensure that most of the government is funded in time," he said.
- 'Donald Trump needs to fire Kristi Noem'
Schumer said if the DHS bill is left out for now, senators could work on adding “common-sense safeguards” to address ICE’s conduct. He also placed responsibility for any potential shutdown on Senate leadership should the bills move forward as a single package.
"If Thune doesn't do it, the shutdown of the government is on his back," he said.
The Democrat criticized the administration of Donald Trump for taking "zero accountability" for the killings.
Stressing that the ICE needs to leave Minneapolis, Schumer urged Trump to fire Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who is facing scrutiny following the shootings.
"It's outrageous that Kristi Noem still has a job in the administration after federal officers murdered two American citizens in just two weeks. And it is even more disgusting that on each occasion, Kristi Noem lies about what took place for the good of the country.
"Donald Trump needs to fire Kristi Noem at once. Noem is a liar. Noem is incompetent at her job, and she must go," he said.
The House Democratic leaders also demanded that Trump fire Noem, warning that if not, they would move to impeach.
"Kristi Noem should be fired immediately, or we will commence impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives," Hakeem Jeffries, Whip Katherine Clark and Chair Pete Aguilar said in a statement. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way."