The GOP’s “skinny” reconciliation plan for DHS funding

Update, Thursday, April 23: 

The Senate launched a vote-a-rama session on Wednesday night that lasted until around 3 a.m. on Thursday morning. Republicans offered a variety of amendments to broaden the parameters of the proposed reconciliation package. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., proposed an amendment to add the SAVE America Act to the funding deal. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., proposed an amendment to extend a ban on Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood. Democrats sponsored several amendments to disapprove any reconciliation package that does not deal with the cost of living crisis. They also suggested amendments to add funding for FEMA. But none of the amendments passed in the late-night session. The Senate adopted the budget resolution, and Senate committees have until May 15 to present their reconciliation bills.

Original post:

In the past fiscal year, the Department of Homeland Security has been shut down over funding longer than it’s been open. And this week, Senate Republicans began a process to ensure that doesn’t happen again for the next three years.

Senate Budget Committee chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., released a blueprint on Tuesday outlining his plan to finally fund DHS, without Democratic votes. On Tuesday, the chamber kickstarted the process, voting 52-46 to start debate on the budget resolution using a legislative procedure called reconciliation. That started the clock on 50 hours of debate followed by a period of limitless amendment proposals, often called a vote-a-rama.

Here’s what you need to know about the situation:

Is DHS still shut down? The Department of Homeland Security has been operating without funding for more than two months since Congress failed to pass an appropriations bill for the agency. Senate Democrats insisted they would not vote for any bill that did not include reforms for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, two immigration-focused bureaus that reside within DHS. On March 27, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to temporarily pay other DHS workers, including Transportation Security Administration and Federal Emergency Management Agency employees. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a Fox News interview this week that the emergency funding will run out in the first week of May. ICE and CBP were already funded last year through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and are not affected by the funding lapse.

Didn’t the Senate already approve a funding bill? Also on March 27, the Senate passed a compromise bill that would have funded all of DHS except for ICE and CBP, but House Republicans blocked it, saying they would only vote for full funding. The Senate bill did not include any of the reforms to immigration enforcement practices that Democrats want, such as mandatory body cameras, a ban on face coverings, and a ban against making arrests at sensitive locations such as schools and churches.

So what’s the plan? Trump gave lawmakers a deadline of June 1 to get a final deal on his desk. The Senate Budget Committee released a 58-page resolution on Tuesday that set the path for the chamber to draft spending laws. If approved, it would allow the Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security committees to earmark $140 billion total for ICE and CBP over the next 3½ years, covering the remainder of Trump’s term. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters on Wednesday that he is urging the House of Representatives to finally pass the appropriations bill that was already sent in March.

What is reconciliation? Most bills in the 100-seat Senate are subject to a 60-vote threshold to overcome a filibuster, but the exception known as reconciliation allows senators to pass budgetary matters on a simple majority vote. Republicans currently hold the majority in the chamber and last year used reconciliation to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which provided $170 million to ICE and CBP. Now Senate Republicans are promoting “reconciliation 2.0” to bypass Democrats on appropriations. Graham said he anticipates up to three reconciliation bills this year. But unlike in other legislation, reconciliation requires the bill’s language to follow narrow parameters as set by the Senate parliamentarian. For example, it must address a single issue and only pertain to budgets and spending.

Is the House on board? After some House Republicans rejected the Senate’s March deal, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Thune issued a joint statement saying they would work together to use reconciliation for ICE and CBP funding. But they’re still at odds over the timeline. Thune urged the House to go ahead and pass the appropriation without ICE and CBP funding and then wait for the reconciliation bill. But on Tuesday, Johnson said House Republicans would wait for reconciliation to pass first before taking up funding for the rest of the department. The appropriation bill would fund FEMA, TSA, the Coast Guard, and cybersecurity agencies.

What’s the purpose of the vote-a-rama? When the time comes for a final floor vote on the blueprint, any member may recommend an unlimited number of amendments. This allows the minority party to have a say in the matter, but most amendments are messaging displays that do not pass. Last year, the Senate considered a record 48 amendments in just over 24 hours while considering the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Only five were adopted. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he would file an amendment to address high out-of-pocket healthcare costs. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said he would introduce an amendment to extend a ban on Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood. (The current ban expires July 4.) But anything that falls outside the scope of the Judiciary and Homeland Security committees would be subject to 60 votes, not a simple majority. These types of sessions often take hours or days. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said he wishes the blueprint would span 10 years, not three, and will file an amendment to extend it. But Thune has resisted attempts to load up the blueprint with extras. He said the final reconciliation bill should be “skinny” and only deal with ICE and CBP funding.