The House passed a GOP-backed bill Thursday to fund the Department of Homeland Security for a third time, as lawmakers struggle to find a deal to end the 41-day partial government shutdown. The lower chamber approved the bill in a 218-206 vote, with four Democrats crossing the aisle to support the measure.
The same four lawmakers backed a similar bill in March: Reps. Henry Cuellar of Texas, Don Davis of North Carolina, Jared Golden of Maine and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington. Democrats have remained steadfast in their calls for reforms to immigration enforcement practices following the killings of two U.S. citizens in Minnesota by federal immigration authorities.
What the Left Is Saying
Senate Democrats have repeatedly blocked House-passed measures to fund DHS, with only centrist Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania joining Republicans in advancing the legislation. The White House and Democrats have exchanged counterproposals for weeks but remain at an impasse over a final deal.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer rejected a Republican proposal to immediately fund key DHS agencies through regular order while routing ICE removal operations through a reconciliation package. Instead, Schumer put forward a counteroffer, prompting Republicans to accuse Democrats of moving the goalposts.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters on Thursday that Democrats "are now in possession of what I think is our last and final offer," without going into the specifics of what was included in the proposal. "Let's hope this gets it done," he said.
What the Right Is Saying
House Republicans have now passed three separate measures to fund DHS, with the latest passing 218-206. The bills have consistently faced opposition from most Democrats who are demanding immigration enforcement reforms.
Senate Republicans proposed funding key DHS agencies through regular order while routing ICE removal operations through reconciliation — a structural compromise that Senate Democrats rejected. Republicans have accused Democrats of moving the goalposts and failing to act on multiple offers.
Thune said Thursday that Democrats now have "our last and final offer" and urged them to accept the terms to end the shutdown. Republicans have pointed to the growing disruptions at airports as evidence that Democrats are prioritizing political demands over public safety.
What the Numbers Show
The House vote was 218-206, with four Democrats joining Republicans. The shutdown has lasted 41 days as of the article date.
Lawmakers are under pressure to reach a deal before March 30, when they are set to leave for a two-week recess. If they leave without a deal this week, the shutdown will surpass the record for the longest one in U.S. history, which lasted 43 days last year.
Travelers around the country are being forced to wait for hours in airport security lines as Transportation Security Administration workers go without pay and increasingly call out. Only Sen. Fetterman has joined Republicans in advancing DHS funding legislation in the Senate.
The Bottom Line
The House has now passed three separate measures to fund DHS, but the Senate has not been able to advance any of them into law. The 41-day partial shutdown is approaching the record 43-day length from last year, and the pressure is mounting on both parties to find a compromise.
Lawmakers have until March 30 — when they leave for a two-week recess — to break the impasse. The challenge remains bridging Democratic demands for immigration enforcement reforms with Republican insistence on funding DHS without those changes.
The TSA worker shortages are creating growing disruptions at airports across the country, adding to public pressure on lawmakers to act. Whether through the Problem Solvers Caucus bipartisan proposal or the competing offers from party leaders, a deal must emerge this week to avoid setting a new record for the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.