House Passes $80 Billion Spending Package
The House of Representatives approved a spending package of nearly $80 billion on Wednesday night, marking a significant step toward preventing a government shutdown later this month.
This package merges two of Congress’ twelve annual spending bills, commonly referred to as a “minibus.” It includes allocations for the Department of State, national security, federal financial services, and general government operations.
However, there are critical concerns about funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Progressives have warned they may withhold support unless substantial reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are made.
This tension follows an incident where an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Goode, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, during a vehicle stop. A law enforcement officer was also killed in connection with this situation.
The shooting has intensified the divide between parties. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and other Republicans assert that the officer acted in self-defense, while Democrats are calling for a criminal investigation into the matter.
Initially, there was an expectation that DHS funding would be included with the minibuses. Yet, House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) indicated he preferred to keep the bill as part of the final package, which also involves budgeting for other departments like the Army, Transportation, Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services.
Conversely, the leading Democrat on the committee, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), expressed her interest in considering DHS funding as a separate issue. “It should take care of itself. It has to be something else,” she remarked.
At the same time, the Congressional Progressive Caucus has formally threatened to oppose any DHS funding unless immigration enforcement policies are modified, according to Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.). “Our caucus will oppose any funding for immigration enforcement in the spending bill until meaningful reforms are enacted to end militarized policing,” he stated.
Despite these disagreements, the bill moved forward with broad bipartisan support. All federal spending bills stemmed from bipartisan discussions in both the House and Senate in response to last year’s government shutdown.
This latest package brings the total federal funding to over $76 billion and is headed to the Senate for further approval before reaching the President’s desk.
The State Department and National Security bill comprises $850 million for the America First Opportunity Fund, which aims to equip the Secretary of State with resources for potential emergencies.
Both sides have highlighted various successes in the bill. Republicans noted it supports “President Trump’s America First foreign policy” by eliminating perceived unnecessary spending, while Democrats emphasized that it aims to “support women worldwide” through bilateral family planning funding and contributions to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
The bill also allocates millions for security assistance globally, particularly for partners like Israel and Taiwan. Additionally, it includes over $13 billion for the U.S. Treasury for the rest of fiscal year 2026, along with protections against the IRS targeting individuals for exercising their First Amendment rights.
Senate discussions are set to proceed on a previous three-bill funding package before a week-long recess. There appears to be little desire on either side to push the government into another shutdown. However, there is increasing agreement on the necessity for short-term funding to facilitate the completion of the more contentious DHS bill.
“The Homeland issue is clearly the most difficult, and without agreement, there may be a continuing resolution that funds some of these bills through next year,” commented Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R.S.D. Negotiations for bipartisan funding are ongoing, which marks a shift from the prior funding deadline in October. Yet, senators will need to return at the end of the month to address two vital bills.
