Sen. Bill Cassidy to Newsmax: Dems Have Delayed DHS Deal 'Three Weeks'

A deal to end the partial government shutdown could have happened "three weeks ago" but the Democrats' "fight club" needed to show "they were resisting the president," Sen. Bill Cassidy told Newsmax on Tuesday.

Appearing on "Wake Up America," the Louisiana Republican said partisan politics — not policy differences — prolonged the standoff that has disrupted key Department of Homeland Security (DHS) functions, including airport security operations.

"We could have had a deal three weeks ago," Cassidy told co-hosts Marc Lotter and Sharla McBride. "Democrats had to have their fight club. They had to show that, my gosh, they were resisting the president. And so they made TSA agents and others pawns."

The shutdown, now stretching into its sixth week, has strained Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staffing and contributed to long lines and delays at airports nationwide.

In response, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel have stepped in to assist, with President Donald Trump warning he could deploy the National Guard if necessary.

Cassidy said the priority should be restoring funding and paychecks for federal workers caught in the middle.

"What I'd like to see is a deal to fund [the] Department of Homeland Security and to pay the TSA agents and the others," he said. "Let's get the people back to work and able to pay their bills."

Recent reports from Capitol Hill suggest Republicans are closing in on a path forward that would fund most DHS operations while addressing disputes over ICE separately — a move aimed at breaking the impasse driven by Democrat opposition to immigration enforcement policies.

Cassidy also weighed in on the SAVE America Act, a Republican-backed election integrity bill championed by Trump.

While acknowledging procedural hurdles to passing the measure through budget reconciliation, Cassidy emphasized its broad public support.

"This is common sense legislation that Democrat voters overwhelmingly support and American voters overwhelmingly support," he said. "If my Democratic Senate colleagues said, 'Wait a second, my voters support this,' this would all resolve."

Cassidy argued Democrats' resistance to both DHS funding and election reforms reflects a pattern of political posturing at the expense of everyday Americans.

"It's a little bit like not paying TSA agents," he said. "They're trying to prove a point as opposed to doing something good for the country."

Beyond the shutdown fight, Cassidy highlighted his push for ethics reform in Congress, promoting legislation to ban lawmakers and their families from trading individual stocks while in office.

"You should be here to serve the people, not serve your bank account," he said, noting that restoring public trust in government remains a top priority.

As negotiations continue, Cassidy expressed cautious optimism that a resolution to the shutdown could come soon — provided Democrats abandon what he characterized as partisan obstruction and work toward a practical solution.

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