Top Dems say House Republicans are the only thing standing in the way of DHS funding

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(27 Mar 2026) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES++ POOL Washington - 27 March 2026 1. Wide of Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and other House Democrats walking to lectern 2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Leader: "Republicans have decided for weeks now to force TSA agents to work without pay, inconvenience millions of Americans and create chaos at airports all across the country. This could end and should end today. There is a bipartisan bill that has been sent over from the Senate that would reopen the non-controversial parts of the Department of Homeland Security, make sure TSA agents are paid, and end the chaos at airports throughout the nation. The bipartisan bill sent over by the Senate has been supported by every single Democrat and every single Republican as it made its way over to the House of Representatives. House Democrats are prepared to support to end the Trump Republican shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. Make sure TSA agents are paid. Stand up for FEMA and for the Coast Guard and for our cybersecurity professionals." ++BLACK FRAMES++ 3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Leader: "If that bill is brought to the floor today, it will pass. And the Trump Republican DHS shutdown will be over. But unfortunately, MAGA extremists in the House of Representatives continue to inflict pain on the American people." ++BLACK FRAMES++ 4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Katherine Clark, (D) Massachusetts: "But House Republicans refused to take yes for an answer. In fact, Mike Johnson said that this bill is a joke. That's another classic we can add to their lines about how they feel about the American people and what they are going through right now. We can add it to 'affordability is a hoax. Donald Trump on gas prices going up a dollar a gallon. When they rise, they rise. I will declare no new wars if elected president. And the impact of all of this on consumers is the last of our concerns.' None of this is a joke. All of this has real-world consequences for American families, and the same day that they're refusing to fund our cybersecurity, they learn that Iran has hacked the director of the FBI." ++BLACK FRAMES++ 5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Leader: "Our message to Mike Johnson and House Republicans is clear: Paying TSA agents, reopening the Department of Homeland Security, ending the chaos, and stopping the inconvenience for millions of Americans all across the country is no joking matter." 6. Wide of Jeffries and other Democrats walk away from lectern and exit STORYLINE: House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Friday derided Republicans for failing to bring a vote on a Senate-passed bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security, saying that “House Democrats are prepared to support the bill.” “This could end, and should end, today,” said Jeffries at a press conference with other members of Democratic leadership. “There is a bipartisan bill that has been sent over from the Senate that would reopen the non-controversial parts of the Department of Homeland Security.” Earlier, President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday afternoon that should pay TSA employees next week. Trump’s action came after a Homeland Security funding measure collapsed in congress. The measure passed the Senate early Friday morning but was swiftly rejected by House Republicans. House Speaker Mike Johnson rejected a Senate-passed bill to fund Homeland Security as a ‘joke’ and plans a vote on an alternative. =========================================================== Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/242ed43f54a54848a68ed5c1893992a1