Kennedy on The Situation Room: Sen. Schumer keeps changing his mind about demands to open DHS

Joining us now, Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana. I know you've been closely involved in these talks. Is this deal falling apart right now, or is there still some hope?

Well, here's the way I see it, Will. I try to look at the world as it is, not as I want it to be. Solving this problem through reconciliation, it's clear to me, is going to be very, very difficult. I got up this morning about 5 o'clock. I can read.

I can watch TV. I watch the news. Number one, the reason I said it's going to be very hard, number one, the president is against it. I was told, I haven't been in meetings with the President, I was told that he was for it. One Senator told me he was even enthusiastic. That's not accurate. He's not for it.

Number two, our Majority Leader is everything. Whoever the Majority Leader is controls the floor. And based on the comments I've read this morning, our majority leader's not really for it. Number three, my Republican colleagues who are leading the talking filibuster clearly want to continue the talking filibuster, as is their right. Number four, Senator Schumer has changed his mind. Chuck probably has another side to this story, but the whole opening everything up on reconciliation is premised

on the suggestion by Democrats that they would open everything up, including TSA, and, and, but, uh, rec, but, uh, ICE. And we would have to deal with ICE on our own. Senator Schumer has changed that position. He no longer will open up the rest of, of, uh, the department unless we agree to what he wants to do on ICE. So, we're back to square one.

I want to play a Senator...

That's honestly the way I see it. I wish I didn't have to say that, but that's where we are.

Yeah, it's not a good situation. I want to play a little bit of what some of your fellow lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have been telling CNN about the framework deal. Listen to this.

Listen.

We've completely flung the framework deal. Listen to this. Listen. We've gone the entire department. That is a responsible way to do this thing. So we've been very resistant to any idea to break it apart.

They did nothing to address the reforms of ICE. And that's what we want. And so until

they do that, it's not a serious offer.

As long as Donald Trump is holding America hostage to pass a measure that would in effect purge voter rolls and suppress voters, there'll be no deal. That's crazy. You've got a real small government.

Are you definitely a no on that proposal?

Yeah.

So what's your response? What do you think? Elaborate a little bit. Well, I think that's honestly how my Democratic colleagues feel. And it matters, first, because I respect their opinion. I don't agree with it, but I respect it. But number two, using reconciliation to solve this problem is premised on the Democrats agreeing to open up every part of DHS, including the TSA, and letting us deal, us meaning Republicans, deal with the ICE under reconciliation. I thought that was the deal.

I know that was the deal. And if the Democrats have changed their position, then what's the point? Number two, I'm going to repeat it. It's clear to me the president is against this. I heard his comments this morning, big as Dallas. I was told that he was cool with it, but I don't think he is. And number two, I just, the folks who started the talking filibuster want to continue. That's their prerogative.

And number three, I don't think the majority leader is real keen on the idea either. Look, I'm Labor, not Management, and I'm going to work toward trying to put together a budget resolution. But, you know, you're not talking to Bambi's baby brother here. I know my colleagues pretty well.

You certainly do. If Congress can't even seem to do the most basic part of its job, namely funding the federal government, are you at all optimistic you can pass any of President Trump's agenda while he's still in office?

Well, here's here's all I know to do right now. And it may not work, though it could work if everybody's in good faith. Number one, they won't like it. But we take our Democratic colleagues out of the process. We put together the entire Department of Homeland Security budget and only that budget for reconciliation with Republican votes. That's ICE, that's TSA, that's

Secret Service, that's Coast Guard, that's everything. Number two, we allow the proponents of the talking filibuster on the SAVE Act to continue to pursue that approach. Now that doesn't, that's not going to make the Democrats happy, but then under reconciliation we don't need their votes and it's not going to solve the SAVE Act problem. But that's all I know to do. The only other option, realistically, is to have the Republicans give in and agree to the Democratic suggested changes on ICE.

And I don't think that's going to happen in your or my natural lifetime. And the third option is obviously to leave everything shut down. And that's not acceptable. That's not fair to TSA and more importantly, the American people.

Yeah, because they're suffering right now. You tried, I know Senator, to pass a resolution over the weekend that would withhold senators pay during, but it was blocked. If you as members of Congress didn't get your paychecks, like TSA workers for example, would we ever see shutdowns?

There are two ways to stop shutdowns in the Senate, fail proof. Number one, no senator gets paid. But equally important, no senator can leave Washington, D.C. Now, I can't get the votes to do the second one. I thought I could get the votes to do the first part of that,

no pay, because my bill went through the rules committee with every Democrat and every Republican, but there was a Democratic objection on the floor. I've stopped taking my pay. I'm not trying to be a hero. I don't judge anybody who does take it,

but this situation we're in is serious as four heart attacks and a stroke. And you can't expect people like TSA and Secret Service and all the other folks to work without a paycheck. They just can't do it. And I'm going to try to, I believe in shared sacrifice is what I'm trying to say.

Yeah, good point. All right, we'll see what happens and we'll stay very close touch with you. Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana. Appreciate it very much.

Thanks, Will. Thanks, Will.

Love your show, man.