Washington, DC— Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) today released the following statement:
“Last month, I voted against the Department of Homeland Security spending bill because it did not address the critical reforms needed to protect Americans against the agency’s lawlessness. By standing firm in our opposition, Democrats successfully forced a vote on a standalone DHS bill, which gives us the opportunity to negotiate meaningful changes and ensure accountability for the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. I will not support any long-term funding bill that fails to live up to these standards.
“I voted for today’s two-week continuing resolution because shutting down nearly 75 percent of the federal government while those conversations are ongoing would do nothing to restrain ICE officers, who are funded separately by Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill. Instead, a shutdown would serve only to freeze pay for our troops and air traffic controllers, pause education programs like Head Start, and limit LIHEAP and other energy assistance programs amidst a devastating cold spell. We should not inflict this unnecessary harm on Americans, and should instead focus our efforts on enacting reforms that protect our communities against ICE’s criminal agenda.”