Congressman Gabe Evans addressed the ongoing partial government shutdown and its impact on March 25, speaking during a Homeland Security Committee hearing in Washington. Evans criticized Democrats for what he described as their refusal to fund the Department of Homeland Security, saying it has harmed national security and affected essential services.
The prolonged shutdown has led to disruptions in airport security, disaster response, and public safety across the country, including Colorado. The issue was discussed at a committee hearing titled “Funding Lapse and Security Gaps: Assessing the Harmful Impacts of the DHS Shutdown on Americans.”
Evans drew on his background in law enforcement to argue that Democrats have consistently pursued efforts to reduce police funding. “As a police officer for 10 years… I watched as my colleagues on the other side of the aisle pushed to defund law enforcement. They ran on this message. They opened our borders — and that’s what’s happening today. Democrats continue to defund the police, just by refusing to pass the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill,” Evans said.
He also noted that this is the second time in six months that Democrats have allowed a government shutdown over political disagreements regarding agency funding priorities. Testimony from TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeil highlighted operational impacts: wait times at airports are now at record highs, call-out rates have increased by up to 50 percent, and more than 480 TSA employees have left their jobs since the start of the shutdown.
Evans referenced recent events at Denver International Airport where donations were solicited for TSA agents working without pay, attributing these hardships directly to votes by Colorado Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet against pay measures for federal workers.
During his remarks, Evans responded strongly after another committee member referred to federal law enforcement as terrorists: “I can’t believe I just heard my ears… I literally just heard my colleague across the aisle say ICE was committing terrorist attacks… That is incredibly disappointing to me.”
He further stressed that several key agencies—including Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), U.S. Coast Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Federal Law Enforcement Training Center—remain unfunded due to Democratic opposition despite ongoing threats such as terrorism risks and natural disasters affecting areas like Colorado’s District 8.
Evans concluded by urging Senate Democrats—including Hickenlooper and Bennet—to end what he called unnecessary delays so critical homeland security operations can resume.
