Oklahoma Senator James Lankford took to the Senate floor this week to argue that the ongoing shutdown of the United States Department of Homeland Security has less to do with policy disagreements and more to do with good old-fashioned Washington politics. According to Lankford, the White House handed Democrats a list of reforms two weeks ago. Things like badges, body cameras, de-escalation training, and process changes. In other words, actual policy proposals written down on paper, which in Congress is apparently where negotiations go to nap.

Lankford told colleagues that instead of working toward a deal, Democrats decided “the politics is better than the actual solution.” Meanwhile, roughly a quarter-million DHS employees are currently going without paychecks while Washington continues its favorite pastime: arguing about who is more responsible for the mess. As Lankford pointed out, it’s a little harder to appreciate the strategic brilliance of political standoffs when you’re trying to figure out how to feed your family.

The Oklahoma senator also pointed to legislation he has pushed for years, the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act, meant to keep shutdowns from happening in the first place. The proposal would force members of Congress to stay in Washington until spending bills are finished and would trigger temporary funding extensions every 14 days if lawmakers fail to pass a budget on time. In other words, a radical idea in Congress: keep the government open and make lawmakers do their jobs until the work is done. What a concept.