Washington DC (670 KBOI News) – Idaho Senator Jim Risch — the new Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee — says it’s ridiculous that the government remains partially shut down after 20 days.

He says many of the same Democratic Party leaders who oppose $5 billion for a border wall today, have voted for that, and more, in the past.

That includes one of the two Democrat leaders who gave the response to President Trump’s border speech Tuesday night.

“What is stunning in all of this, is what the President wants, the Democrats have all voted for previously,” said Risch.  “They voted for $25 billion for the wall, Chuck Schumer (D-NY) himself has voted for wall money four times,  and now he’s beating his breast, about how horrible this is.  I mean, it’s just really disingenuous.”

While Trump stopped short of declaring a national security at the Mexican border in his speech, Risch says it’s absolutely within his power to do so.

The President is scheduled to visit the Southern border Thursday.