GOP Sen. Roy Blunt voted against funding Homeland Security Friday because employees will just "show up" whether they get paid or not.
If Congress fails to fund the Department of Homeland Security by the end of Friday, former DHS officials say the impacts will be real even if not immediately obvious to the public. Here's
some details from Jerry Markon:
But at DHS facilities in Washington, employees who manage large federal contracts, monitor cyber threats and give grants to local police departments will be sent home, according to current and former DHS officials. If there is a terrorist attack or natural disaster, the effect will be magnified and the government’s response slowed, they said.
About 85 percent of the department's roughly 240,000 employees will continue working, but they will not be paid until the shutdown ends. So pretty much working for free for days, weeks, even months.
Not surprisingly, DHS officials say a shutdown would have devastating effects on employees. Turnover is already high at the agency (can't imagine why) and hiring will grind to a halt in the event that Congress fails to fund it Friday.
“This is crippling to morale,’’ said Matt Chandler, a former DHS deputy chief of staff who was at the agency during the 17-day shutdown in 2013. “When you inject uncertainty for families who may be relying on this income to pay their bills, there is a real impact felt by those individuals and their families.’’
House Republicans are killing the very agency the GOP fought for following 9/11. Homeland Security was their pride and joy. Now, they just don't care.
“This is a debate over funding a part of government so essential that if funding is not there, almost all of the employees show up anyway. They’re considered essential,’’ Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said recently on the Senate floor.
Yeah, they just "show up" anyway. Who cares if they get paid?