The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation Thursday to fund major portions of the Department of Homeland Security, advancing the measure to President Donald Trump’s desk and aiming to end the longest partial government shutdown in history.
The bipartisan package funds core DHS operations, including the Transportation Security Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency and Coast Guard, but excludes full funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection in its current form, per LiveNow from FOX. Lawmakers acted after weeks of negotiations amid ongoing disputes over immigration enforcement priorities.
The shutdown, which began in mid-February after funding lapsed, surpassed previous records for duration and affected roughly 260,000 DHS employees. Many worked without pay, contributing to reported delays at airports due to TSA staffing shortages. Trump previously signed a memorandum directing DHS to prioritize pay for TSA workers using available authorities.
House passage followed Senate action on a related measure. Earlier attempts at compromise faced hurdles, with House Republicans initially rejecting a Senate-passed version that funded most of DHS except immigration enforcement components. The Dallas Express reported in February that Senate Democrats blocked a Republican DHS funding effort, citing disagreements over ICE reforms and the risk of a partial shutdown.
DHS officials had warned that prolonged funding uncertainty strained operations, including disaster response capabilities and border-related activities supported by prior appropriations, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. The agency’s partial functions continued where alternative funding existed, but the lapse disrupted normal procurement and travel.
Passage provides short-term stability but does not resolve longer-term debates over full-year appropriations. Lawmakers have indicated plans to address remaining enforcement priorities through regular order or reconciliation processes in the coming months.
The bill’s approval marks a bipartisan step to reopen key homeland security functions after more than two months of disruption, reported AP. Details on exact funding levels and any attached policy riders were not immediately available in initial reports, but the focus remained on restoring operations for TSA, FEMA, and other non-enforcement components.
