Tom Emmer Discusses Dinner Shooting and DHS Funding Issues Amid Rising Political Violence

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer shared his personal experience regarding a leg injury during the shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. He commended the Secret Service for their swift response in neutralizing the suspect, Cole Allen, who had anti-Trump motives. Emmer expressed frustration with Senate Democrats for continuously hindering full funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), particularly given the increasing threats.

Calls for urgent funding to support the Secret Service have intensified following the thwarting of a third assassination attempt on President Donald Trump. Currently, many federal police forces find themselves unfunded, having gone 74 days without support due to a DHS shutdown, which started when Democrats refused to allocate funds for immigration measures. Now, with House Republicans in control, a solution seems possible.

A bill to fund significant portions of the DHS has been stuck in the House after previously passing in the Senate in March. This legislation would also ensure funding for the Secret Service. However, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) has yet to advance the bill, as concerns loom that it might defund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Johnson commented on the pressing need for DHS funding, stating, “We have to move the DHS funding because it’s an emergency… as the Secretary of Homeland said, we’re out of money.” He highlighted the dangers shown during the dinner incident and emphasized the urgency of getting things done. Some House Republicans are calling for Johnson to push the Senate bill to a vote.

Representative Nick Langworthy (R-N.Y.) wrote to Johnson, urging immediate action on the Senate’s partial DHS bill. “There is no time to lose,” he stressed, referencing the weekend’s attacks, and underscoring that the country remains at risk.

In a Monday statement, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused House Republicans of delaying the Senate bill, contributing to a record funding shortfall. He claimed, “The bipartisan Senate-passed bill, introduced in the House today, would fund the entire Department of Homeland Security, except for ICE and the violent Republican mass deportation agencies.”

White House Budget Director Russ Vought is set to meet with House Republicans to discuss the future of DHS funding. The message from congressional Republicans signals a two-pronged approach to secure funds after Democrats have struggled to agree on year-round spending. One method would fund ICE and Border Patrol through the budget reconciliation process.

House Republicans are expected to endorse a Senate-passed budget resolution funding ICE and CBP shortly. President Trump, meanwhile, has urged House Republicans to approve the Senate bill without amendments.

Expected Votes May Speed Up DHS Funding Process

With an impending vote on the reconciliation process, there’s a rush to finalize the deal by June 1st. Meanwhile, several Senate Republicans are contemplating options for funding the Secret Service and other DHS components. Senator Rick Scott (R-Florida) suggested Republicans should leverage the recent shooting to compel Democrats to act on funding, questioning if they will decide to finally support DHS funding in light of the violence.

Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) remarked that this may be a pivotal moment to reconsider the filibuster. He echoed sentiments that Democrats would likely push to fund DHS if they gain a majority. Trump’s long-standing position against the 60-vote threshold in the Senate faces hesitation from some Republican senators, worried it could backfire if Democrats regain control in the future.