Congressional leaders and the White House have reached agreement on how to fund the Department of Homeland Security, one of the last hurdles to prevent an approaching partial government shutdown deadline Friday — but it might not come together in time.
Funding for DHS was the final major sticking point in negotiations for the six spending bills that need to pass to avert a shutdown. The details of the negotiation haven’t yet been released.
The agreement on DHS funding paves the way for lawmakers to start processing the spending package in the hopes of meeting Friday’s deadline to avert a partial government shutdown. A deal has been reached on the remaining six government funding bills, congressional leaders confirmed.
In this Nov. 30, 2023 file photo, the U.S. Capitol is seen in Washington.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images, FILE
“An agreement has been reached for DHS appropriations, which will allow completion of the FY24 appropriations process,” said Speaker Mike Johnson. “House and Senate committees have begun drafting bill text to be prepared for release and consideration by the full House and Senate as soon as possible.”
But with negotiators still working out the details and legislative text of the full agreement still not out, lawmakers are up against the clock to prevent a shutdown. The House has a rule requiring 72 hours for members to review legislation before voting; the Senate also can take a few days to process House-passed bills. That means a vote may not happen until the end of the week or weekend — increasing the chances of shutdown — unless Johnson speeds up the process.
Another wrinkle: the funding agreement may face pushback from some House GOP hard-liners. The House Freedom Caucus — made up of many of the House’s most conservative members — have urged members of the party to reject the appropriations package “otherwise Republicans will be actively funding Biden’s ‘open borders’ policies” — a reference to the DHS deal, its members said in a letter Monday.
Speaker Mike Johnson hosts the annual “Friends of Ireland Luncheon” on Capitol Hill, March 15, 2024, in Washington.
Niall Carson/PA Images via Getty Images
President Joe Biden said Tuesday that once Congress approves the package, he “will sign it immediately.”
This shutdown threat has been the latest in a series of challenges for Johnson, whose party maintains a razor-thin margin in the lower chamber.
Congress has nearly shut the government down, at least partially, five times since October. During those votes, Johnson has had to rely on House Democrats’ votes to prevent shutdowns — something that landed his predecessor Kevin McCarthy in hot water with the party and contributed to his ouster last year.
ABC News’ Sarah Beth Hensley contributed to this report.
As the deadline for a potential government shutdown looms, the clock is ticking for lawmakers to come to a resolution on funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Despite agreement on the need to fund the DHS, political gridlock and partisan disagreements threaten to derail efforts to keep the government running.
The current funding for the DHS is set to expire on February 18th, leaving just a few days for Congress to pass a spending bill to avoid a shutdown. The main point of contention is President Biden’s request for additional funding for border security and immigration enforcement, which has been met with resistance from some Republicans who argue that the administration’s policies are not tough enough on immigration.
While there is bipartisan agreement on the importance of funding the DHS to ensure national security and protect the country from threats, finding common ground on the specifics of the spending bill has proven to be a challenge. Democrats are pushing for increased funding for technology and personnel at the border, as well as resources for addressing humanitarian needs of migrants. Republicans, on the other hand, are calling for stricter enforcement measures and increased funding for border wall construction.
If a spending bill is not passed by the deadline, thousands of DHS employees could be furloughed, essential services could be disrupted, and critical national security operations could be compromised. The impact of a government shutdown would be felt across the country, affecting everything from airport security to disaster response efforts.
As the deadline approaches, lawmakers must set aside their differences and work together to find a compromise that will keep the government running and ensure that the DHS has the resources it needs to fulfill its vital mission. Time is running out, but with political will and a commitment to putting the needs of the country first, a shutdown can still be averted. The stakes are high, and the consequences of inaction are too great to ignore. It is time for Congress to come together and do what is necessary to keep the government functioning and protect the security of the American people.
