GOP Pressure on Speaker Mike Johnson Over DHS Funding Bill

Senate Republicans urge House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) to vote on a bipartisan DHS appropriations bill covering TSA, Coast Guard, FEMA and other agencies, warning that without swift action tens of thousands of federal workers could miss paychecks as DHS runs out of cash.

The Hill

DHS has been partially shut down for two months; President Trump ordered staff to be paid, but Secretary Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) says only one payroll period remains funded. The Senate passed a budget resolution Thursday, opening a path for a reconciliation package that would fund ICE and Border Patrol through 2029.

The Hill

Officials say “tens of thousands” of workers face delayed pay; Mullin warned there is “one payroll left.” Senate committees are drafting a $70-80 billion ICE/Border Patrol plan.

The Hill

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the budget resolution shows the Senate’s intent to fund ICE and Border Patrol and urged a House vote on the DHS bill. Mullin warned the payroll shortfall leaves no money for another executive order. Johnson has refused to schedule a DHS vote until the reconciliation package passes, citing a desire to keep the processes separate.

The Hill

Caucus members say the reconciliation package is too narrow. Rep. Ralph Norman warned it may be “the last reconciliation we do before the end of the year” and urged broader funding. Rep. Chip Roy dismissed a “reconciliation 3.0,” calling it “fake news.” A GOP senator claimed Johnson “doesn’t have the votes” to move the DHS bill.

The Hill

If the DHS bill stalls, TSA agents, Coast Guard personnel and FEMA staff could miss paychecks, undermining airport security, maritime safety and disaster response. The funding gap also threatens payroll for border enforcement.

The Hill

Committees are told not to exceed $70 billion individually for ICE/Border Patrol, yet combined spending could reach $140 billion. It is unclear if House leaders will broaden the reconciliation scope to add more Trump-era priorities.

The Hill

• “I’ve got one payroll left and there is no more emergency funds, so the president can’t do another executive order because there’s no more money there,” — Markwayne Mullin, Secretary, DHS

The Hill

• “That’s certainly the hope and expectation,” — John Thune, Senate Majority Leader

The Hill

• “This will probably be the last reconciliation we do before the end of the year. We got the break coming up, and it’s just we got to address — we got to put more to it than just this,” — Ralph Norman, Representative, R-SC

The Hill

• “I think it’s fake news that we’ll get a reconciliation 3.0,” — Chip Roy, Representative, R-TX

The Hill

The House is expected to vote on the DHS bill in the coming days. If approved, the Senate must still clear any budget-resolution changes before the reconciliation package can move forward. Ongoing talks will decide whether ICE, Border Patrol and the DHS portfolio receive funding before the next payroll.

The Hill