House and Senate Leaders Disagree on DHS Funding as Shutdown Enters 72nd Day
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House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune are at odds over how to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which is warning its stopgap fund for paying staff will be exhausted in the coming weeks. The Senate has twice passed a DHS appropriations bill, but its current language lacks the votes to pass the House. Without a resolution, the department could remain shut down through mid-May.
Facts First
- A 72-day government shutdown is ongoing in the United States.
- DHS stopgap funding for staff pay will be exhausted in weeks, according to the department.
- The Senate-passed DHS bill 'zeroes out' funding for ICE and Border Patrol, preventing its passage in the House.
- House Speaker Mike Johnson is seeking to modify the Senate bill to secure votes.
- Any House changes would require the Senate to pass the bill again, potentially extending the shutdown.
What Happened
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) are in a disagreement regarding Homeland Security Department (DHS) funding. At the beginning of the month, the two leaders issued a joint statement and plan to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Border Patrol through a separate reconciliation process, while funding the rest of the DHS through regular appropriations. However, a DHS appropriations bill that has cleared the Senate twice contains language that 'zeroes out' funding for ICE and the Border Patrol. As currently written, this Senate-passed bill does not have the necessary votes to pass the House until after a reconciliation bill is passed.
Why this Matters to You
The ongoing 72-day shutdown means key homeland security functions are not fully funded. The DHS has warned its stopgap fund for paying staff will be exhausted in the coming weeks, which could directly impact the personnel responsible for border security and immigration enforcement. A prolonged impasse may lead to further disruptions in these services.
What's Next
Speaker Johnson is seeking to modify the Senate-passed DHS bill to secure the votes needed for passage in the House. Any changes made by the House would require the Senate to take up and pass the bill again. If House members wait for the separate reconciliation process to complete before pairing it with a final vote on the DHS bill, the department would likely remain shut down through mid-May.