House Passes Senate DHS Funding Bill to End 76‑Day Shutdown

The shutdown began when House Republicans refused to fund DHS unless additional money was provided for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Border Patrol. For 76 days, agencies such as FEMA, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Secret Service, the Coast Guard, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) operated without appropriated funds, though employees remained on duty. The impasse ended after Republican leadership allowed a vote on the Senate‑passed measure, which closely resembles a bill DeLauro introduced in February. The Senate passed the funding bill unanimously, and the legislation closely matches a proposal introduced by Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro in February, which attracted more than 200 Democratic cosponsors.

- The Department of Homeland Security was shut down for 76 days. - The House approved the Senate‑funding bill by a large margin. - DeLauro said the bill is a victory for DHS employees who worked during the 76‑day shutdown.

With the bill’s passage, DHS agencies will receive the funding needed to resume normal operations and plan future budgets. Employees who worked without pay during the shutdown may now see back pay and restored morale. The vote also signals a shift in House Republican strategy, moving from a funding standoff to a willingness to accept the Senate version. The bill now heads to the President for signature, after which funding will be restored to all DHS components. Looking ahead, observers will watch whether Congress addresses the underlying disputes over ICE and Border Patrol funding that triggered the shutdown, and how quickly DHS can allocate the newly approved resources to programs such as disaster response, aviation security, and cybersecurity defense.