House stalls on DHS bill again as Trump fast-tracks deadline for border-only fix
WASHINGTON, DC: A bipartisan Senate measure aimed at ending the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown has been sent back to the House, placing the next move squarely in the lower chamber’s hands.
The bill, passed by unanimous consent during an early morning pro forma session on Thursday, April 2, would fund most DHS operations while excluding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol.
House inaction reflects conservative resistance
Despite convening shortly after the Senate session, the House did not take up the legislation, highlighting ongoing resistance from hardline conservatives.
No Republican lawmakers were present to advance or block the bill during the brief session, though Rep Don Beyer (D-Va) indicated he would not have opposed moving it forward.
Two-step plan to reopen DHS backed by Trump
Republican leadership, backed by President Donald Trump, is now pursuing a two-track approach.
The immediate goal is to pass the Senate bill to restore funding for key agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Coast Guard. A second, GOP-only reconciliation bill would then address border security funding.
The reconciliation strategy is designed to sidestep a Democratic filibuster in the Senate, after negotiations over immigration enforcement reforms broke down.
Trump has endorsed the approach and set a June 1 deadline to advance the border-focused legislation using the fast-track process.
The shift in strategy follows a standoff between House and Senate Republicans. The Senate had passed the bipartisan DHS bill last week, but House Republicans rejected it, opting instead for a short-term funding extension.
Opposition centered on splitting DHS funding, which some conservatives likened to weakening law enforcement efforts.
Narrower reconciliation bill in focus
Senate Majority Leader John Thune signaled that the forthcoming reconciliation package would be tightly focused on border operations, excluding other Republican priorities such as voting reforms and additional Pentagon funding tied to the Iran conflict.
The aim, he said, is to streamline passage and secure broader support within the party.
With both chambers currently in recess until mid-April, the timeline for House action remains unclear. Lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene for a pro forma session on Monday, but it is uncertain when or if the House will take up the Senate-passed DHS funding bill.
