March 27, 2026
The bill brought to the floor tonight is political theater for House Republicans.
Late last night, after considerable negotiations, the Senate unanimously passed a bill by voice-vote that provided funding for TSA, FEMA, the Coast Guard, and other agencies within DHS while granting time for further negotiations on reasonable safeguards to rein in ICE and CBP that protect the rights of citizens and non-citizens from abuse by DHS agents.
For House Republicans to throw out that bill and pass yet another messaging bill that doesn’t stand a chance in the Senate is an insult to every DHS employee and the thousands of travelers who have been inconvenienced over the past month.
For the past six weeks, TSA agents have gone without pay as Republicans and President Trump rejected several proposals from Democrats to pay our TSA agents. Hundreds have quit, and many have called out because they could not afford gas, childcare, or their bills. The resulting airport security lines stretched for hours and crippled airports across the country.
What a stunning embarrassment by House Republican leadership.
Watson Coleman Statement on Opposition to Republican Messaging Bill
Washington, D.C. (March 27, 2026) - Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) voted against House Republicans’ most recent messaging bill that fails to address the deep issues within ICE and CBP. The Congresswoman made the following statement about her vote:
The bill brought to the floor tonight is political theater for House Republicans.
Late last night, after considerable negotiations, the Senate unanimously passed a bill by voice-vote that provided funding for TSA, FEMA, the Coast Guard, and other agencies within DHS while granting time for further negotiations on reasonable safeguards to rein in ICE and CBP that protect the rights of citizens and non-citizens from abuse by DHS agents.
For House Republicans to throw out that bill and pass yet another messaging bill that doesn’t stand a chance in the Senate is an insult to every DHS employee and the thousands of travelers who have been inconvenienced over the past month.
For the past six weeks, TSA agents have gone without pay as Republicans and President Trump rejected several proposals from Democrats to pay our TSA agents. Hundreds have quit, and many have called out because they could not afford gas, childcare, or their bills. The resulting airport security lines stretched for hours and crippled airports across the country.
What a stunning embarrassment by House Republican leadership.