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Takai, Gabbard back last-minute weeklong stopgap for DHS funding

William Cole

Hawaii’s representatives in the U.S. House voted in favor of a last-minute, weeklong “patch” Friday to keep the Department of Homeland Security funded as a longer-term bill is worked out.

“After sitting in hours of meetings and internal deliberation between both parties in the House and Senate, both chambers have come to terms on a deal to pass a clean funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security,” U.S. Rep. Mark Takai said in a release.

“Unfortunately, this deal would not come with enough time to avoid a partial shutdown of government, affecting around 3,000 people in Hawaii and hundreds of thousands across the nation,” Takai said. “This is why we had to come together to pass a short patch through next week.”

Takai added that “the long-term goal has not changed, and both parties have reassurances that a full-year, clean DHS funding bill will be considered as the highest priority of legislative business early next week.”

Democrats are seeking a so-called “clean” funding bill for DHS for the remainder of the fiscal year that does not have language attached by Republicans defunding President Barack Obama’s executive orders on immigration.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said she voted to ensure the Department of Homeland Security remains open for seven days until the full appropriations bill is passed.

“Our national security should never be used as a pawn in partisan political games,” Gabbard said in a release. “Ensuring the Department of Homeland Security remains operational is critical. It is irresponsible to continue lurching between shutdown threats and crises. It is no way to govern, particularly when the safety and security of the American people is on the line.”

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