At least a half-dozen House Republicans told Scripps News they would not support a bipartisan Senate bill to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security — then voted for it anyway Thursday, ending the longest government shutdown in history after 76 days.
Those members Wednesday and Thursday were asked whether they would back the Senate-passed funding bill. The answer from each of them was the same: no.
By 4 p.m. Thursday, everyone of them had voted yes.
"This is not how we should be doing it. We were very clear about that, but at some point here, you know, the vote's gonna happen," Rep. Chip Roy said. "That vote was gonna pass."
RELATED STORY | Trump signs bill to end DHS shutdown; ICE, CBP fight continues
What changed? The Trump administration made clear to House Republicans it wanted them to act on DHS funding — and quickly. An executive order President Donald Trump had signed to keep ICE and Border Patrol agents on payroll was set to expire at midnight Thursday. Without a vote, TSA staffing shortages and long airport lines could have returned.
"Sometimes the process around here is cumbersome. That's the way this works, but in spite of our razor-thin, historically small majority, House Republicans continue to deliver for the American people, and that is a large reason why we are going to win the midterms so that the grown-ups can stay in charge here," Speaker Mike Johnson said.
The Senate had passed the bipartisan agreement about a month ago. The bill funds roughly 90% of DHS, including the TSA, Coast Guard, FEMA and the U.S. Secret Service, through the end of the fiscal year. It does not fund ICE or Border Patrol.
Democrats excluded those two agencies from the package, pushing for specific reforms — including requirements that agents wear body cameras, identification and refrain from wearing face coverings. Republicans called those demands radical, and the two sides were unable to reach agreement. Some Republicans described their frustration with the process even as they ultimately supported the bill.
President Trump signed the legislation Thursday afternoon.
If Congress does not act before Oct. 1, the funding debate will begin again.
RELATED STORY | ICE acting director Todd Lyons will resign at end of May, DHS says
On the question of ICE and Border Patrol, Republicans are working on a separate partisan bill that would send up to $140 billion to the two agencies — funding them through the end of President Trump's second term, with no Democratic support and without the reforms Democrats sought. The House is on recess and the bill is not expected to advance until the middle of May. Johnson projected confidence it would pass, though the razor-thin Republican majority means it is not guaranteed.
