Rep. Ben Cline, R-Va., told Newsmax on Friday that Americans will recognize the Department of Homeland Security funding standoff as a partisan maneuver by Democrats that threatened U.S. national security since mid-February.
Appearing on "Wake Up America," Cline said the months-long impasse — which ended Thursday night with President Donald Trump signing a bipartisan funding bill — revealed that Democrats were in favor of "holding spending bills hostage" while critical agencies went underfunded.
"It is not my preference," he said of the final agreement. "My preference would have been to fund the entire department together under reconciliation."
"That way we could bypass Democrats and not have to capitulate on any of this," Cline added.
He stressed that Democrats delayed essential funding for DHS agencies, which he said put lives at risk and weakened the country's security posture.
"As it was, Democrats held up vital national security spending for months, endangering lives, endangering our national security," said Cline.
Republicans ultimately moved forward with a work-around to ensure that key agencies received funding to maintain operations.
"In this work-around, we were able to make sure that ICE got paid, that Customs and Border Protection got paid, that the men and women at Homeland Security get paid," Cline said.
He added that maintaining those operations is essential as the U.S. prepares for major upcoming events and ongoing security demands.
Cline credited GOP unity for delivering the measure despite a razor-thin House majority.
"Republicans stuck together with a two- or three-seat narrow majority in the House," he said. "We were able to get this passed thanks to the leadership."
Cline also made clear Republicans are not backing down in the broader fight over border security and enforcement.
"Democrats are going to try and block our efforts to keep this country safe," he said. "But we're not going to let them sidetrack these important sources of security for Americans."
"We're going to continue to fight," Cline added.
Looking ahead, the Virginia Republican said voters will see the shutdown battle for what it was — a political gambit by Democrats that risked national security.
"I think that voters see this for what it was — Democrats holding spending bills hostage because they don't like ICE securing our border," he said.
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Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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