WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune announced Wednesday what they are calling a path forward to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ending a record partial government shutdown. They said in a joint statement that “in the coming days,” Republicans in the House and Senate would follow through on President Donald Trump’s directive to fully fund the department, using two parallel tracks. One would follow the regular appropriations process, and the other would likely have to be tackled via a reconciliation bill that Republicans would have to pass on their own later this year.
However, the outcome of this approach is uncertain and may face opposition from Democrats, as well as potential internal dissent among GOP members. “We appreciate and share the President’s determination to once and for all bring an end to the Democrat DHS shutdown,” said Johnson, R-La., and Thune, R-S.D. Last week, both chambers were at an impasse after the Senate passed a bill that did not include funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and for U.S. Border Patrol, while also setting aside the Democratic demands for new limits on those agencies.
But House Republicans have since passed a bill to fund DHS for 60 days in a bid to alleviate the shutdown as lawmakers left for a two-week recess. While Senate Democrats will need to cooperate for part of the plan to succeed, it remains unclear if they will agree to the proposed measures.
Johnson's strategy indicates a rekindled working relationship with Thune after tensions surfaced when Johnson rejected Thune's earlier proposal. Earlier, Trump weighed in on the matter with a social media post urging Republicans to expedite funding for immigration-focused parts of the DHS, emphasizing he wants to see the legislation on his desk by June 1.
In a determined stance, Trump stated, “We are going to work as fast, and as focused, as possible to replenish funding for our Border and ICE Agents, and the Radical Left Democrats won’t be able to stop us.”
However, the outcome of this approach is uncertain and may face opposition from Democrats, as well as potential internal dissent among GOP members. “We appreciate and share the President’s determination to once and for all bring an end to the Democrat DHS shutdown,” said Johnson, R-La., and Thune, R-S.D. Last week, both chambers were at an impasse after the Senate passed a bill that did not include funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and for U.S. Border Patrol, while also setting aside the Democratic demands for new limits on those agencies.
But House Republicans have since passed a bill to fund DHS for 60 days in a bid to alleviate the shutdown as lawmakers left for a two-week recess. While Senate Democrats will need to cooperate for part of the plan to succeed, it remains unclear if they will agree to the proposed measures.
Johnson's strategy indicates a rekindled working relationship with Thune after tensions surfaced when Johnson rejected Thune's earlier proposal. Earlier, Trump weighed in on the matter with a social media post urging Republicans to expedite funding for immigration-focused parts of the DHS, emphasizing he wants to see the legislation on his desk by June 1.
In a determined stance, Trump stated, “We are going to work as fast, and as focused, as possible to replenish funding for our Border and ICE Agents, and the Radical Left Democrats won’t be able to stop us.”
