House Republican Blames Democrats for DHS Shutdown Despite GOP Control

NBC's Kristen Welker pushes back on Rep. Mike Lawler's claims that Democrats are responsible for the partial government shutdown.

Apr. 5, 2026 at 6:33pm

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In a heated exchange on NBC's Meet the Press, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) blamed Democrats for the partial government shutdown that has left some Department of Homeland Security workers without paychecks for over 40 days. However, Welker pushed back, noting that Republicans are in control of all three branches of government and have the power to call Congress back to pass a funding bill that the Senate has already approved unanimously.

Why it matters

The ongoing partial government shutdown, particularly of the Department of Homeland Security, has significant implications for national security and the livelihoods of federal workers. This political dispute over who is responsible highlights the partisan gridlock in Washington and the challenges in resolving budget impasses, even when one party controls the levers of power.

The details

Despite the Senate passing a funding bill last week, the House did not vote on it before recessing for Easter break. When Welker pressed Lawler on whether House Speaker Mike Johnson should call Congress back to pass the bill, Lawler instead blamed Democrats for 'shutting down' the DHS. Welker countered that Republicans are in charge of all three branches of government and have the ability to reopen the government.

  • The Senate passed a funding bill last week.
  • Congress is not back until April 14th.
  • The partial government shutdown has lasted over 40 days.

The players

Kristen Welker

NBC News anchor who interviewed Rep. Mike Lawler on Meet the Press.

Rep. Mike Lawler

Republican Congressman from New York who blamed Democrats for the DHS shutdown.

Hakeem Jeffries

Democratic Congressman and House Minority Leader.

Chuck Schumer

Democratic Senator and Senate Majority Leader.

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What they’re saying

“The fact is, Democrats made a very calculated decision to shut down the department because they do not want to enforce our immigration laws.”

— Rep. Mike Lawler, Republican Congressman

“Republicans are in charge of all three branches of government. House Speaker Mike Johnson has the capacity to call everyone back. Does he have a responsibility to do so, to bring everyone back to get the government reopened? Does this not fall to Republicans to do this?”

— Kristen Welker, NBC News anchor

What’s next

The House is scheduled to return from recess on April 14th, at which point they will have the opportunity to vote on the Senate-passed funding bill to reopen the Department of Homeland Security.

The takeaway

This partisan dispute over the government shutdown highlights the ongoing challenges in Washington to resolve budget impasses, even when one party controls the legislative and executive branches. The ability of the Republican-led House to quickly pass the Senate's bipartisan funding bill will be a test of their willingness to prioritize governing over political posturing.