Rep. Brad Knott, R-N.C., said Thursday he was "relieved for the workers" at the Department of Homeland Security after the House passed legislation to reopen the agency, ending a record 75-day shutdown that left thousands of federal security employees in limbo.
"I'm relieved for the workers and the Department of Homeland Security," Knott said during an appearance on Newsmax's "Bianca Across the Nation."
"I'm relieved for the civil servants like the TSA [Transportation Security Administration] workers, the Coast Guard, those who work in CISA [the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency], who keep our country safe."
The House vote restores funding to DHS and resolves uncertainty over whether employees, including TSA officers, Coast Guard personnel, and cybersecurity staff, would receive pay in May.
The shutdown had disrupted operations across multiple components of the department, with some workers furloughed and others required to work without pay.
Knott, a freshman lawmaker, criticized Democrats for the prolonged standoff, accusing them of leveraging DHS funding negotiations to push immigration-related priorities.
"They were the pawns that the Democrats were using their political capital for to basically defund the police," Knott said.
"That's what all of this came down to. They want to shut down the entire department to basically prohibit any immigration enforcement."
Democrats have said their approach centered on setting funding priorities and oversight measures, particularly related to border and immigration policy, rather than eliminating enforcement funding altogether.
Knott also defended House Republican leadership, crediting Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., with pushing multiple funding measures through a narrowly divided chamber.
"I stand behind the speaker. He was relentless," Knott said.
"We sent over funding despite a one-vote margin. I think it was six or seven times to the Senate. We got creative and we got the bill passed."
The measure's approval brings an end to the longest shutdown in DHS history, which raised concerns among lawmakers and national security officials about the strain on critical operations.
Airport security screening, maritime patrols, and cybersecurity monitoring were among the functions affected during the funding lapse.
Despite welcoming the resolution, Knott warned the extended impasse could set a troubling precedent for future budget battles.
"Long term, the precedent is unbelievably, I would say, discouraging that the Democrats would disrupt, as they did, and shut down the government for 75 days," he said. "But I'm thankful it's over."
The reopening restores full funding to DHS, though disagreements over federal spending and immigration policy remain unresolved as lawmakers look ahead to future negotiations.
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Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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