Congresswoman Nancy Mace called on President Trump on April 1 to use his constitutional authority to convene the Senate until it funds the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as the current shutdown continues during what she described as an elevated national threat environment.
The ongoing DHS shutdown, which Mace said is now the longest in American history, has raised concerns about national security and left key agencies without funding. She criticized the Senate for not fulfilling its obligations and urged immediate action.
“When national security is on the line, walking away shouldn’t be an option, yet the Senate did it anyway,” Mace said. “Article II, Section 3 exists precisely for moments like this. The President has the authority to call the Senate back and he should use it.” Article II, Section 3 gives the president power to convene either or both houses of Congress in extraordinary circumstances.
Mace continued by saying, “Senator Thune and his colleagues have left our border agents, TSA and our homeland security apparatus in limbo. President Trump should convene the Senate today and keep them there until they fund every dollar of DHS.” She also urged both Senate leadership and President Trump to act immediately: “The Senate can take a recess when the country is safe. Right now, they need to do their jobs.”
Mace currently represents South Carolina’s 1st district in Congress after replacing Joe Cunningham in 2021 according to official records. Before her tenure in Congress beginning in 2021, she served in South Carolina’s House of Representatives from 2018 through 2020 as reported by state legislative sources. Born at Fort Bragg in North Carolina in 1977, Mace is now 45 years old and lives in Charleston according to news reports. She graduated from The Citadel with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1999 according to her alma mater.
As debate continues over how best to resolve government funding issues during times of heightened risk, calls like those from Rep. Mace highlight growing pressure on federal leaders for urgent action.
