This week, Nebraska lost one of our own. U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Noah Tietjens of Bellevue was killed in Kuwait while supporting Operation Epic Fury. He enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2006, deployed twice to Kuwait, and spent nearly 20 years serving this country as a soldier and mechanic. He earned over a dozen medals and ribbons — each one a mark of a life given in service to something bigger than himself.
Sergeant Tietjens was not alone. Five other Americans also did not come home. All six gave everything. Bruce and I send our deepest condolences to their families as they navigate this unimaginable grief.
Last week, President Trump ordered strikes against Iran, the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism. Iran has been responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans and posed a real, ongoing threat to our safety. Our troops carried out the mission with skill and courage. Iran’s ability to threaten the region has been seriously weakened, and their nuclear program set back.
But the threat isn’t over. Iran has terrorist networks operating right here in our hemisphere. The risk of an attack on American soil is rising. And at this exact moment, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is shut down.
DHS was created after the September 11, 2001, terror attacks to make sure something like that never happens again. It runs airport security. It responds to floods, wildfires, and hurricanes. It protects our power grid, water systems, and banks from attacks by foreign governments. But right now, it’s crippled.
At this moment, 61,000 TSA workers are doing their jobs without a paycheck, including 42,000 agents standing at airport checkpoints across the country. They’re scanning your bags and checking your ID while wondering how they’ll pay their bills. That’s not just wrong. It’s a disgrace.
Two-thirds of the agency that guards us from cyberattacks by China, Iran, and Russia has been sent home. FEMA can’t respond to disasters the way it should. The Coast Guard isn’t funded. The Secret Service is stretched thin. Every day this goes on, the door opens a little wider for something catastrophic to happen here at home.
Republicans have offered a solution. We’re ready to fund DHS fully and get every one of those workers back on the job. But Senate Democrats have blocked it. So far, they’ve chosen political games over the safety of the American people.
Senate Republicans won’t sign a deal that handcuffs law enforcement. We won’t accept language that blocks immigration enforcement. But we are ready to end this shutdown and fund the people keeping this country safe.
Six Americans just gave their lives for this nation; the least we can do is make sure the agencies protecting us here at home have the people and resources to do their jobs. I implore my Democratic colleagues to end this shutdown and fund DHS. It is reckless to hold our security hostage.
Please know that I won’t stop pushing until every agency responsible for the safety of American citizens is fully funded and fully staffed. That is Congress’ most basic duty, and I will fight to uphold it.
Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.