Lawmakers left Washington for the Munich Security Conference as the Department of Homeland Security funding lapsed at midnight, sparking sharp criticism from colleagues who say leaving during a funding fight sends the wrong message about priorities and governing responsibilities.
The partial government shutdown began at midnight after Congress failed to finalize DHS funding, and the timing clashed with the scheduled international gathering. Members of both parties were slated to be in Germany, raising questions about whether attendance justified stepping away from urgent domestic negotiations.
Rep. Eric Burlison captured the anger on the Hill when he said, “It’s absurd, I hope the American people are paying attention.” His comment reflects a common view among critics who see travel during a crisis as tone-deaf and avoidable when deadlines loom.
Sen. Rick Scott pointed fingers at Senate leadership, arguing that Democrats blocked Republican attempts to keep DHS funded and suggesting priorities were misplaced. “Schumer’s what’s deciding this,” Scott said, adding that he believed Democratic leaders valued the conference over immediate domestic security funding.
Several members of both chambers flew to Munich despite warnings from GOP leaders that they should be ready to return on short notice. Senate Majority Leader John Thune allowed a 24-hour recall window while House Speaker Mike Johnson offered 48 hours, but even those controls didn’t stop travel plans already in motion.
House Republicans said it was particularly frustrating because the House had passed its measures and sent bills to the Senate, yet the Senate still failed to secure a solution before departing. As Rep. Mark Amodei put it, “At least [the House] sent a bill over…not a great pride moment for the federal government, is it?” He expressed that leaving amid stalled talks was not a proud moment for any branch of government.
A bipartisan contingent of senators, led by Lindsey Graham and Sheldon Whitehouse, attended the conference and participated in panels, which underscores the event’s international importance. Still, the optics of high-level delegations abroad while portions of DHS were entering a shutdown bothered many back home, who wanted their representatives focused on domestic security needs first.
Some senators tried to downplay the impact on their travel. When asked if the shutdown would change his plans, Sheldon Whitehouse responded, “I hope not.” Yet the comment did little to ease criticism that the absence of key negotiators made resolving the funding impasse more difficult.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who was scheduled to appear on a panel about Russia with Senator Graham, said outstanding funding issues should have been settled before lawmakers left town. “I’m not delighted with Republican resistance and unresponsiveness, but it’s on them at this point,” he said, emphasizing that both chambers share blame when appropriations stall.
House rules technically ban official congressional delegations during shutdowns, but individual members still traveled, including a mix of Democrats and Republicans. The result was a political mix of critique and defense, with critics saying the trips reflected poor leadership and defenders arguing the conference serves vital diplomatic and security purposes.
House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole offered a blunt take on priorities, saying it would be “unconscionable if Congress leaves and does not solve the problem.” He noted, “I’m sure Munich is a great place. I’ve been there many times. The beer is outstanding,” and then added that defending the country should come first before attending an overseas defense conference.
Negotiations continued over the weekend, with Senate Democrats hinting at a possible counteroffer to the White House but no final agreement in hand. Even if a deal had been reached quickly, drafting and passing the text would have taken time, and critics argued the simplest path would have been to keep negotiators in the capital until a resolution was secured.
Sen. James Lankford stressed a basic rule for resolving impasses: stay at the table. “That’s the easiest way to resolve it is to say ‘no one walks away from the table,’” he said, adding, “We stay at the table.” His words underscore the frustration of colleagues who wanted leaders to remain until the job was done.
On the House side, Rep. Joe Morelle said the situation reflected poorly on GOP leadership’s priorities, even as he acknowledged the international gathering’s significance. “There’s a certain irony that we would not be here to fund essential services of our government, but we have enough time and energy to go to the Munich Security Conference, which admittedly is a very important international gathering,” Morelle said, arguing the choice still suggested a lack of leadership on basic responsibilities.
