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Senators warn DHS partial shutdown is endangering TSA, FEMA, CISA and other agencies
Summary
Lawmakers from both parties said a partial shutdown left TSA, FEMA, CISA, Coast Guard and other DHS components unfunded and underpaid, harming operations and readiness for major events; they urged immediate passage of funding measures by unanimous consent while pressing nominee Mullen to prioritize restoring staffing and reimbursements.
Senators across party lines told Mark Wayne Mullen at his confirmation hearing that the Department of Homeland Security was suffering operational harm from a partial shutdown and repeated funding disruptions.
Multiple lawmakers listed unfunded DHS components—TSA, FEMA, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Coast Guard, Secret Service and others—and detailed consequences including unpaid workers, delayed disaster reimbursements and reduced capacity for counterterrorism and event security. "We have 280,000 DHS employees right now that are on day 30 without pay and they're still showing up every single day to do their job," Mullen said, repeating a figure members cited during the hearing.
Senator Marino (and others) urged colleagues to set aside partisan fights and approve targeted funding measures immediately by unanimous consent; Senators Peters and Hassan said Democrats had offered to fund TSA, FEMA and other components and that Republican objections on the floor had blocked those moves. "If Republicans really do agree with us that TSA and other personnel need to be paid, then they should join us and pass the bills to pay them today," Peters said.
Senators also warned about near-term operational risks: staffing shortfalls would complicate preparations for high-profile international events including FIFA events and the 2028 Olympics, and delays in nonprofit security grants and FEMA reimbursements were slowing critical protective work for houses of worship and small municipalities. Mullen told senators he would seek to streamline grant processes and cut redundancies, but said restoring and retaining trained personnel would take time after repeated funding breaks.
Why it matters: National security and public safety functions—aviation screening, disaster response, cybersecurity and border protection—rely on consistent funding and trained personnel. Multiple senators said immediate action on appropriations was required to avoid sustained capability degradation at DHS.
