Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is grappling with a high-stakes decision on whether to bring a Senate-passed bipartisan bill to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to the House floor on Thursday, as pressure mounts from the White House and Senate Republicans. The bill, which funds agencies like the Transportation Security Administration, FEMA, and the Secret Service, notably excludes money for immigration enforcement—a key sticking point for House conservatives.
Walking onto the House floor Thursday, Johnson told CNN and other reporters he needs to consult with his members before making any announcement on the DHS bill. The legislation has languished for weeks as House Republicans insist on passing a separate reconciliation package to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, bypassing the need for Democratic votes on immigration reforms.
The Trump administration is running out of money it can tap through executive authority to pay DHS employees, most of whom are considered essential and would work during a shutdown. Officials warn the funds will dry up by the first week of May. The recent attack at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner has added urgency to fully restore DHS funding, as security concerns escalate.
On Wednesday, the House adopted the blueprint for a "skinny" reconciliation bill funding immigration enforcement. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has urged the House to pass the DHS funding bill now that the reconciliation measure has cleared its first hurdle. Republican leaders are considering bringing the Senate bill to the floor on Thursday before the House recesses for a week, but it remains unclear if they have the votes to fast-track it through a two-thirds majority suspension of the rules.
Hard-line conservatives have balked at moving on the DHS bill before the reconciliation measure reaches final passage, which could take weeks. In a twist earlier this week, Johnson called the Senate-passed bill "haphazardly drafted" and floated a "modified" version. However, any changes would require Senate approval, further delaying passage.
Despite hard-liner apprehensions, some House Republicans are increasing calls to pass the Senate package. Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R-Pa.) led a letter signed by Reps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) urging GOP leaders to act. "Now that Senate Republicans are making progress on a clean reconciliation package to fund and strengthen our border security, we should match that progress here in the House by taking up and passing the Senate-passed funding bill and reopening DHS without any further delay," the letter stated.
Rep. Mike Flood (R-Neb.) wrote on X that Congress "must remain in session" to pass the bill. Johnson told CNN on Wednesday he has concerns about the bill's language but insisted he is "not defying the White House." He said, "I just got off the phone with the president, OK? I met with Leader Thune two hours ago. He knows exactly what we're doing. ... We're all working on the same team. We'll get the job done."
The internal GOP conflict over DHS funding has intensified following the assassination attempt at the WHCA dinner, with GOP infighting over DHS funding intensifying after Trump assassination bid. Johnson's decision to revise the Senate bill could risk further shutdown delays, as detailed in Johnson revises Senate DHS funding bill, risking further shutdown delays.
