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Sen. Cassidy says Democrats are blocking DHS funding, blames political strategy for airport delays
Summary
Sen. Bill Cassidy told an interviewer he believes Senate Democrats have refused to fund the Department of Homeland Security despite Republican concessions, and said that choice is causing public inconvenience such as longer airport lines.
Sen. Bill Cassidy accused Senate Democrats of refusing to fund the Department of Homeland Security, saying Republicans had offered concessions and that the impasse was harming travelers.
Cassidy said negotiations on a DHS funding bill had proceeded over more than a year and that Democrats initially agreed to a bill but later opposed it after events in Minneapolis. He named Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer as a driving force against the earlier agreement and said the White House offered additional concessions — including body cameras and increased funding — that nevertheless failed to win Democratic support.
"Democrats do not want to fund the Department of Homeland Security," Cassidy said, arguing that political calculation was being prioritized over constituent service; he said travelers at New Orleans and Baton Rouge airports should not be "waiting on long lines" because of partisan tactics. Cassidy described competing proposals about which DHS components to fund first and said Republicans could not accept a partial package that met only some Democratic demands.
Cassidy said Senate Republicans would press for votes again the following day but did not describe a specific procedural schedule in the interview. No formal legislative action or vote was recorded in this conversation; Cassidy was describing the status and his view of the negotiation process.
