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Congress Scrambles to Fund DHS in Eleventh-Hour Maneuver
Lawmakers use parliamentary tactics to pass funding bill before Easter recess
Apr. 2, 2026 at 2:04am
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In a last-minute push to fund the Department of Homeland Security before a congressional recess, the Senate passed a bipartisan bill to fund most of DHS in a late-night voice vote, while the House later passed its own version of the bill. The two chambers ultimately reached a compromise, with the House accepting the Senate's original bill despite initial opposition from House GOP leadership.
Why it matters
The DHS funding lapse highlighted partisan divisions in Congress and the use of parliamentary maneuvers to pass legislation, raising questions about transparency and the legislative process. The outcome also demonstrated the ability of congressional leaders to broker deals to avoid a prolonged shutdown, even as some rank-and-file members objected.
The details
Senate Majority Leader John Thune worked to pass a bipartisan DHS funding bill through the Senate in a 2:19 a.m. Friday voice vote, avoiding a formal roll call vote. House GOP leaders initially opposed the Senate bill, passing their own version on Friday night. However, by Wednesday the House accepted the Senate's original bill, ending most of the DHS shutdown despite objections from some conservative Republicans.
- The Senate passed the bipartisan DHS funding bill in a 2:19 a.m. voice vote on Friday, April 2.
- The House passed its own DHS funding bill on Friday night, April 2.
- The House ultimately accepted the Senate's original DHS funding bill on Wednesday, April 7.
The players
John Thune
Republican Senator from South Dakota and Senate Majority Leader who engineered the late-night Senate vote on the DHS funding bill.
Mike Johnson
Republican Congressman from Louisiana and Speaker of the House, who initially opposed the Senate's DHS funding bill.
Chuck Schumer
Democratic Senator from New York and Senate Minority Leader.
Hakeem Jeffries
Democratic Congressman from New York and House Minority Leader, who signaled support for the Senate's DHS funding bill.
Rosa DeLauro
Democratic Congresswoman from Connecticut and top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, who also signaled support for the Senate's DHS funding bill.
What they’re saying
“Republicans are not going to be any part of any effort to reopen our borders or to stop immigration enforcement. This gambit that was done last night is a joke. I'm quite convinced that it can't be that every Senate Republican read the language of this bill.”
— Mike Johnson, House Speaker
“I was there to object. I was here just in case there were some shenanigans.”
— Chris Coons, Democratic Senator from Delaware
What’s next
The House is expected to formally approve the Senate's original DHS funding bill in the coming days, ending the partial shutdown of the department.
The takeaway
The last-minute maneuvering to fund the Department of Homeland Security highlighted the partisan divisions and parliamentary tactics used in Congress, raising concerns about transparency and the legislative process. However, the ultimate compromise demonstrated the ability of congressional leaders to broker deals and avoid prolonged shutdowns, even as some rank-and-file members objected.
