Rep. Malliotakis to Newsmax: Shutdown May Hinder Storm Response

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., warned on Newsmax on Friday that the ongoing partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security is harming critical national security and emergency response functions as a powerful winter storm batters the Northeast.

The shutdown, which entered its second week after lawmakers failed to agree on DHS funding, has already led to the suspension of some programs and strained federal operations.

Malliotakis, speaking to Newsmax's "Wake Up America" from Washington, where she was attending a scheduled session, said she had heard from constituents enduring difficult conditions back home in New York as the storm brings heavy snow, high winds, and travel disruptions.

She said residents and staff have described conditions as "brutal," stressing the importance of safety during severe weather.

"But it is really an unprecedented storm. For the last few years, we haven't had a significant storm like this," Malliotakis said. "And let's see if the mayor learned from the mistakes of that first storm, and we'll see things run a little more smoothly."

Her remarks come as the DHS shutdown has led to operational disruptions, including the brief suspension and reinstatement of TSA PreCheck and the suspension of the Global Entry program because of funding gaps.

Essential employees, including those at FEMA and the TSA, are working without pay, while many nonessential functions are paused.

Malliotakis criticized Democrat leaders for politicizing the shutdown and urged a quick resolution to restore full operations.

"This is a really important point that we had been warning about for the last couple of weeks, a shutdown, even though the Democrats want to make this political and simply about Ice, there is so much more to the Department of Homeland Security," she said.

She emphasized that critical components like FEMA, the Coast Guard, the TSA and ICE are impacted by the funding lapse.

"We need to remember that these federal employees who are dedicated, whether they are at FEMA, whether they are in the Coast Guard, whether they are TSA or whether they are Ice agents, they're working right now without being paid come the first of the month. And so we thank them for their service," Malliotakis said.

Malliotakis also directly appealed to House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer to end the standoff.

"We're hopeful that Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer will come to their senses and end this, because even though they've tried to make this about ICE, and ICE has the funding right now to continue its work, what they're really doing is affecting counterterrorism, cybersecurity, as well as emergency management," she said.

She warned the timing of the shutdown could undermine security at major events this year, including the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks and the upcoming FIFA World Cup, which is set to take place across the U.S., Canada and Mexico this summer.

"There's a lot of security issues that we need to make sure are running smoothly, and they can't necessarily operate at maximum capacity if they continue to be experiencing a shutdown," Malliotakis said.

Congress returned to Washington Monday with lawmakers under pressure to pass funding and end the shutdown as severe winter weather continues to impact the Northeast.

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