Rep. Addison McDowell, R-N.C., stated Thursday that there should be a way to extend federal funding and avoid government shutdowns. McDowell said Americans are increasingly frustrated with repeated shutdown threats and disruptions, arguing Congress must find a long-term solution to keep the government running even when appropriations talks stall.
McDowell added: “A hundred percent. I am too,” when told Americans are “sick” of shutdowns.
The North Carolina Republican, who serves on the House Budget Committee, placed blame on Democrats for the current partial shutdown, which has stretched for weeks and affected key national security agencies. “We are in a 40-day shutdown that is caused by the Democrats who are trying to shut the government down because they care more about protecting illegal aliens than they do American citizens,” McDowell said.
The shutdown has hit the Department of Homeland Security particularly hard, with agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Coast Guard facing funding disruptions. Reports from across the country have highlighted long airport security lines and financial strain on federal workers, including TSA agents going weeks without pay.
McDowell warned that the consequences go beyond inconvenience, raising concerns about public safety. He pointed to testimony from a Coast Guard admiral who said the funding lapse makes the country “less safe,” reinforcing Republican arguments that the shutdown undermines national security.
As negotiations remain stalled ahead of the Easter recess, Senate Republicans are exploring using reconciliation to pass funding measures, potentially including elements of the SAVE America Act. While reconciliation is typically limited to budgetary matters, McDowell signaled openness to using any available legislative path to resolve the crisis.
“I don’t care how we pass this, whether it’s through reconciliation, whether it’s a straight-up bill, we have to get this done,” McDowell said.
McDowell also highlighted policy priorities tied to the broader debate, including election integrity measures such as voter ID requirements, protections for women’s sports, and opposition to taxpayer-funded transgender procedures for minors.
Despite uncertainty over whether Congress will act before lawmakers leave Washington for the Easter break, McDowell stated responsibility lies with Senate Democrats to move forward on funding already approved by the House. “This should not have been a hard exercise to get done because this was pre-negotiated,” he said. “Democrats turned their backs on the American people and their safety by prolonging a shutdown that was unnecessary in the first place.”
