Congress Moves to End DHS Shutdown

On Thursday, Congress made significant progress toward resolving the lengthy shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, which has now stretched over 75 days. The White House has issued warnings that numerous federal employees might not receive their paychecks if the deadlock continues.

The House voted unanimously in favor of a spending bill that had already passed in the Senate, which will fund most of DHS operations until September.

This turnaround followed a month-long delay in the House, primarily because House Speaker Mike Johnson had resisted discussing the bill, primarily due to concerns over provisions that would defund law enforcement agencies. His stance echoed the sentiments of many lawmakers who viewed the Senate’s earlier unanimous approval as overly generous.

However, this week, Johnson changed his position after it became clear that the White House was leaning towards the Senate’s approach and encouraging a quick resolution.

Johnson reassured reporters, saying, “We’re not opposing the White House. Everyone understands what we’re trying to achieve. We’re all on the same team here.”

In a memo circulated to Capitol Hill, the White House cautioned that funds for employee pay could run out by May unless the House approves significant parts of the Senate’s funding proposal. Since early April, the administration has been utilizing existing financial resources to cover outstanding pay and upcoming salary periods for DHS workers, but these funds are quickly diminishing.

If the budget runs dry, the memo warned, essential government employees—including air traffic control personnel, Coast Guardsmen, and Secret Service agents—could go unpaid, which would jeopardize national security and disrupt air travel.

Some Republicans criticized the Senate’s inability to pass the DHS funding proposal before going on a scheduled break, calling it unacceptable. “We need to fund DHS, even if only 80% of it,” stated Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY) during an interview. “We’re in a precarious situation with funding and need a resolution before any recess.”

Various GOP members, including Rep. Troy Neals of Texas, expressed frustration over the delay, emphasizing the negative impact on families reliant on the government for their livelihoods. “This is hurting the families of those dedicated to serving their communities,” he remarked.

Initially, the shutdown was triggered by Democratic opposition concerning funding for immigration enforcement. However, they found common ground to support the Senate bill, which does not allocate funds to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or Customs and Border Protection (CBP). “The Senate’s bipartisan bill would fund DHS entirely except for ICE and the mass deportation agencies,” noted a spokesperson.