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The Guardian World1 min read
US House passes bill funding much of DHS, ending agency’s longest shutdown
TL;DR
The US House has passed a bill to fund much of the Department of Homeland Security, ending the longest government agency shutdown in history. The legislation excludes immigration enforcement operations and now awaits Donald Trump's signature.
Key points
- US House voted to fund much of DHS
- Ends longest government agency shutdown in history
- Excludes immigration enforcement operations
- Bill now goes to Donald Trump for signing
- House speaker Mike Johnson faced pressure to resolve deadlock
Mentioned in this story
Department of Homeland SecurityImmigration and Customs EnforcementCustoms and Border ProtectionMike JohnsonDonald Trump
The US House of Representatives has voted to fund much of the Department of Homeland Security – excluding immigration enforcement operations – and end the longest government agency shutdown in history.
The deal struck on Thursday aims to draw a line under a 75-day impasse that had threatened airport chaos and exposed fresh strains within the Republican party.
In a swift voice vote, the Republican-controlled chamber approved a bipartisan measure to fund much of the sprawling department, including the Secret Service and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which now goes to Donald Trump to sign into law.
But the legislation stops short of covering key immigration enforcement arms such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), leaving the fiercest battle over Trump’s deportation agenda for another day.
The vote came after days of mounting pressure on Mike Johnson, the House speaker, whose wafer-thin majority had repeatedly failed to break the deadlock. Although the Senate had passed the package unanimously weeks ago, the bill had languished in the House as conservative Republicans demanded any funding deal be tied to a long-term plan to bankroll the White House’s immigration crackdown.
That broader strategy began to take shape on Wednesday when House Republicans pushed through a budget resolution to eventually provide $70bn for immigration enforcement though a separate process and without Democrats. The manoeuvre, approved by a 215-211 margin, opened the door for the narrower homeland security measure to proceed a day later.
The White House had sharply raised the stakes in recent days, warning that emergency funds Trump had diverted to keep frontline staff paid were close to exhaustion. In a stark memorandum to members, the office of management and budget said the department would “soon run out of critical operating funds”, placing essential personnel and national security operations at risk.
Q&A
What did the US House vote on regarding the Department of Homeland Security?
The US House voted to fund much of the Department of Homeland Security, excluding immigration enforcement operations.
How long was the government agency shutdown before the House vote?
The government agency shutdown lasted for 75 days, marking the longest shutdown in history.
What key immigration enforcement agencies are not funded by the new bill?
The new bill does not fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Who is the House speaker that faced pressure to end the shutdown?
The House speaker is Mike Johnson, who faced mounting pressure to resolve the deadlock over funding.
