A recent Senate agreement aimed at preventing a lengthy government shutdown may encounter considerable challenges in the House.
Senate Democrats are insisting on the exclusion of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding from a hefty collection of six spending bills necessary for completing government financing for fiscal year (FY) 2026. More senators from both parties seem open to this adjustment while proposing a short-term funding extension for DHS, known as a “Continuing Resolution” (CR).
To implement any modifications to current law, the House would need to approve them again. However, lawmakers aren’t expected to reconvene in Washington until February 2, shortly after the funding deadline of January 30. This timing raises concerns that a brief governmental shutdown is nearly inevitable.
In the meantime, many House Republicans are expressing their reluctance to support DHS funding via a short-term CR.
Recently, the conservative House Freedom Caucus sent a letter to President Trump implying that party members would not support another push for DHS funding through the House.
Rep. Ralph Norman, a member of the caucus, expressed in a text message that the House has already done its part by passing the remaining six spending bills to the Senate, arguing there’s no justification for separating DHS from this approval process.
Norman further accused Democrats of attempting to “demonize” and undermine DHS, asserting that if they desire a government shutdown, they should proceed.
Sources have indicated that Senate Democrats and Republicans are working to reconcile the two-week CR favored by Democrats with the six weeks that Republicans propose.
Chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, Rep. Andy Harris, emphasized that delaying DHS funding further is ill-advised, indicating that Democrats’ insistence on maintaining unlawful immigration isn’t likely to wane in the coming weeks.
A senior Republican aide connected with House conservatives conveyed concerns that a two-week CR would grant Democrats greater leverage over immigration enforcement, warning that it could lead to further demands from progressive factions.
Criticism of the new deal isn’t limited to the far-right members of the House. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole mentioned that the CR appears unlikely to pass in the House, although he refrained from specifying its proposed length.
Rep. Stephanie Bice, also an appropriator and member of the Republican Main Street Caucus, characterized the separation of the DHS bill as a CR from the larger omnibus package as a flawed strategy.
Bice highlighted the risk that jeopardizing the DHS funding bill could affect funding for ICE, among other DHS-affiliated agencies. She noted that holding up funding for critical services, such as those provided to air traffic controllers who recently endured long delays in payment, is unreasonable.
Amid this standoff, House Democrats may be willing to support a short-term CR for DHS, yet their backing comes with stipulations. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries indicated that any proposals would need careful consideration, but would face rejection if they don’t push DHS towards immediate, significant changes.
The situation remains precarious, as an agreement in the Senate could still face an uphill battle in the House. Even if something passes in the Senate before the January 30 deadline for funding, the duration of any shutdown will largely hinge on Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-Louisiana) capability to rally House members for a vote.
Although the bill may pass a full House vote, Johnson might confront difficulties with a crucial procedure known as a “rules vote,” which is necessary for the debate and ultimate consideration of specific bills. Historically, these votes have fallen along party lines, and with Johnson holding a narrow majority, garnering cross-party support may be challenging.
Speeding up the bill through a process called suspending the rules is another potential route, but it would raise the approval threshold to two-thirds—requiring significant backing from House Democrats to succeed.
