March 9, 2026
Three days ago, a Southwest Airlines flight traveling from Nashville to Fort Lauderdale was forced to make an emergency diversion to Atlanta after a reported bomb threat onboard. Law enforcement officers rushed onto the aircraft, removed a passenger, and frightened passengers were instructed to keep their hands raised while authorities secured the plane. Federal investigators, including the FBI, are now looking into the incident. This comes on the heels of a horrific shooting last week in Austin, Texas that is also being investigated as terrorism.
These alarming situations are a stark reminder that the threats facing our nation are real and demand constant vigilance. Every day, the men and women of the Department of Homeland Security work to protect our airports, secure our borders, and defend our communities from dangerous threats both physical and cyber.
At the same time, our nation is grappling with the aftermath of up to 10 million illegal immigrants who flooded into our country from across the world during the Biden Administration, including more than 360 individuals who were on the terrorist watch list—and those are the ones we know about.
We cannot be naïve about our adversaries that wish to cause us harm and every day that the Department of Homeland Security is shuttered is putting our nation at grave risk. Agencies like the Transportation Security Administration, Customs and Border Protection, and the Secret Service play a critical role in keeping Americans safe. They should not be held hostage for Democrats’ election-year playbook.
While TSA officers and other frontline personnel continue to report for duty and do their jobs under incredibly difficult circumstances, the Senate’s inaction is unacceptable. We cannot play games with our national security.
The House has done its job. Now it’s time for the Senate to pass our bill, reopen the Department of Homeland Security, and ensure the brave men and women protecting our homeland have the resources they need to keep America safe.
Sincerely,
Rep. Nicholas A. Langworthy signature image
Rep. Nicholas A. Langworthy
