As the US government has shutdown today for the first time in nearly seven years, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem slammed Democrats for putting the country’s safety at risk while forcing “our nation’s frontline defenders” to work without pay.
The shutdown clock ran out at 12.01 am Wednesday after a vote to extend funding past a midnight deadline failed in the US Senate.
The 55-to-45 vote, falling short of the 60 votes needed to advance the legislation, has ensured that government agencies will have to discontinue all but “essential” activities such as law enforcement, potentially disrupting everything from air travel to the monthly jobs report.
As the shutdown loomed on Tuesday night, Noem said, “Law enforcement officers will continue to work throughout the Democrats’ shutdown to make sure our homeland is safe and secure.”
“More than 200,000 of these patriots will go without pay. The Democrats will be forcing over 150,000 officers and nearly 50,000 members of the military, our frontline of defence, to continue protecting our nation without pay,” she added.
Ahead of Tuesday’s vote, he threatened to cancel programs favoured by Democrats and fire more federal workers if the government shuts down.
“We’ll be laying off a lot of people,” he told reporters. “They’re going to be Democrats.”
More than 150,000 workers are due to leave federal payrolls this week after taking a buyout, the biggest exodus in 80 years.
Tens of thousands more have already been fired this year.
Trump has also refused to spend billions of dollars approved by Congress, prompting some Democrats to question why they should vote for any spending bills at all.
– Ends