As we enter the 28th day of a partial government shutdown, I find it incredible that congressional leadership on both sides, and the Administration, are still unable to have an adult conversation on border security.
Over the last month, it’s been incredibly frustrating to watch the deterioration of both sides as this standoff continues. It has reached the point of one side expecting the other to completely surrender – refusing to back down or negotiate. Seriously?
Some Members in Congress have decided they’re not going to budge on anything to do with border security because – even though they voted to authorize $50 billion for border security in 2006 through the Secure Fence Act – they now see this as an opportunity to gain political advantage over the Administration and Republicans.
A few baseline thoughts:
- Name a federal government shutdown that has worked. Because in my experience, they simply do not. Shutdowns make Congress, as a whole, look dumb.
- Since when was securing America’s borders a nasty thing? National security is a fundamental obligation. Period. Really? Not one dollar? Is this the plan we should compare to the Administration’s?
House Republicans remain committed to funding the government, funding disaster relief, and funding border security. Let’s focus more on the issues please, and kick all of the campaign geniuses out of the room. Issues! Not talking points… please.
Looking Ahead
In case you missed it, the House has decided to forgo its scheduled district work period next week to stay in session as the shutdown continues. Once again, I urge congressional leadership to realize the urgency of this crisis and bring a viable solution to the table to reopen the federal government as soon as possible.
Thank you for subscribing to the Amodei Report. I look forward to continuing to keep you up to date on the issues you care about most. For additional information, please visit my website at amodei.house.gov or call my Washington office: (202) 225-6155, Reno office: (775) 686-5760, or Elko office: (775) 777-7705. To receive updates on what I am doing in Washington and in Nevada’s 2nd District follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Sincerely,
Mark E. Amodei
