LISTEN: Senator Kevin Cramer’s conversation with The Flag’s Scott Hennen
WASHINGTON – If the Senate doesn’t pass six appropriation bills before 11:59:59 PM on Friday, January 30, the federal government will partially shut down.
“A partial shutdown over the course of the weekend probably is not going to be the end of the world,” North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer said on The Flag.
Senate Democrats have held up funding for the Department of Homeland Security over an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shooting and killing Renee Good and Border Patrol agents shooting and killing Alex Pretti this month. Both happened in Minneapolis. Democrats have struck a deal with President Donald Trump to pass five spending bills and take a separate vote on a bill to fund DHS.
However, $74.85 billion in ICE funding for the next four years was approved in the One Big Beautiful Act passed earlier this year with only Republican support.
TSA, FEMA and FCIRC, which deals with cybersecurity, are all part of DHS.
“There are senators, imagine that, who think that because we are elected by the people that we represent that we should have something to say about it and have some amendments and amendment votes. We are going through the process diligently, solving challenges within our own group,” Cramer explained.
If any amendments are made to the six spending bills, and they pass the Senate, the legislation will have to go back to the House for a vote, but is not in session this week.
