House tees up final vote on Department of Homeland Security funding bill

The House on Wednesday advanced a GOP-backed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill, an effort by Republicans to pressure Democrats to end the partial government shutdown in the wake of the U.S. launching strikes against Iran.

The panel voted 211-209 to pass the rule, which tees up debate and a vote on the final passage of the measure. The bill is expected to pass the lower chamber on Thursday.

The DHS bill is largely identical to the one that passed the lower chamber in January, before the death of 37-year-old Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti sparked outrage among Democrats and intensified calls to rein in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Republicans have been pressuring Democrats to support the bill and reopen DHS, citing the heightened threats to the homeland after the U.S. and Israel launched joint strikes against Iran over the weekend in what was the start of the administration’s “Operation Epic Fury.”

“Everybody in America better watch that board. Anybody who votes to block funding for the homeland, it is shameful. I don’t know how to describe it. It speaks to a long record of Democrats’ deliberate efforts to undermine America’s safety and the essential operations of DHS,” Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told reporters on Wednesday. 

But Democrats, who have been locked in a stalemate with the White House over a deal to open DHS, have argued that the administration’s decision to strike Iran doesn’t absolve them from addressing concerns over its immigration enforcement tactics. 

“My Republican colleagues and the administration want to defend – they want to defend a lawless, reckless agency that is creating havoc on the streets of America… And they shouldn’t do that. They should not get away with this. And you know what? I’m tired of their crocodile tears,” Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, told The Hill in an interview. 

There are some moderate Democrats who could cross the aisle and vote for the bill. Seven Democrats joined Republicans in January to vote for the previous DHS bill in January, before Pretti’s death: Reps. Henry Cuellar (Texas), Don Davis (N.C.), Laura Gillen (N.Y.), Jared Golden (Maine), Vicente Gonzalez (Texas), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Wash.) and Tom Suozzi (N.Y.).

The DHS bill is likely to be dead on arrival in the Senate, where it will need some Democratic support to overcome a filibuster. Senate Democrats blocked the previous House-passed DHS funding bill last week. Sen. John Fetterman (Pa.) has been the lone Democrat in voting to advance a full-year DHS funding bill.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Noem defends living on base in Coast Guard housing 

Ted Cruz, Tim Scott asking Treasury to approve $200B tax cut without ...

Noem’s spending review has held up more than 1,000 FEMA contracts, grants and ...

Live updates: Leavitt gives testy briefing amid Iran strikes; Trump to endorse ...

Trump asks Texas Senate candidate he does not endorse to drop out of race

The new SNAP food restrictions aren’t just confusing — they’re illegal

Canadian PM Carney says US and Israel’s strikes on Iran mark ‘failure of ...

Watch live: Walz, Ellison testify before House on Minnesota fraud

Talarico triumphs, Cornyn-Paxton face off: 5 questions after Texas Senate ...

Leavitt, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins spar over coverage of US deaths in Iran

Johnson: ‘Everybody in America better watch’ how lawmakers vote on DHS ...

Kelly: Iran operation 'not going well' for Trump administration

Talarico beats Crockett in Texas as GOP heads to runoff: Key takeaways

Abbott, Hinojosa to face off in general election for Texas governor

GOP state lawmakers urge White House to halt efforts to block state AI laws

Crockett concedes to Talarico, says Texas ‘primed to turn blue’

Noem fends off attacks from left and right in heated hearing: 5 takeaways

House tees up final vote on Department of Homeland Security funding bill

© The Hill