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Rep. Roger Williams says short government shutdown likely over Homeland Security funding
Summary
On the Clarity Windows and Doors newsline, Congressman Roger Williams said a short federal shutdown is likely because one appropriation that funds TSA and the Secret Service has not cleared the Senate; he blamed partisan disagreement over Homeland Security funding and said talks are political.
Congressman Roger Williams said a brief federal government shutdown was likely as lawmakers continued debating whether to include Homeland Security funding in a must-pass appropriations package.
"Well, we'll see. The government basically is shut down. We've passed all our appropriation bills except ... the one that keeps TSA and Secret Service and all those areas open," Williams said on the Clarity Windows and Doors newsline, adding that he expected a shutdown "at least for a couple days." He said the contention stems from Senate Democrats seeking to separate Homeland Security funding from the broader package and that that disagreement had left TSA and Secret Service funding unresolved.
Williams characterized the dispute as political. "They're the ones being held hostage until we can come up with an idea whether they wear masks, they take mass off, they have training," he said, and added later that Democrats "have created problems and they offer no solutions except those that will benefit themselves." The host asked whether that impasse could again disrupt airport operations; Williams agreed that services such as TSA could face immediate strain if funding lapsed.
The remarks were presented as the congressman described them; the interview did not include responses from Senate leaders or other members of Congress. Williams framed the disagreement as a policy-and-politics dispute rather than a technical funding shortfall.
He did not give a timetable for when lawmakers might resolve the impasse or identify specific legislative text that would settle the dispute. The segment did not include a formal vote or an administration statement about contingency plans for covered agencies.
