Senate and White House near deal on reopening most of Department of Homeland Security
Top Senators from the Republican Party are closing in a tentative arrangement that would fund approximately eighty percent or more departments within the department while leaving immigration enforcement and border security unfunded until further notice, with White House officials describing this path as acceptable despite ongoing challenges such as airport chaos caused by TSA delays due to lack of funding.
Key Points
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1Senate Democrats have agreed with Republican lawmakers on funding most departments within DHS.
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2The deal aims to end six weeks of government shutdowns and address TSA delays at airports.
Developments
Perspectives
Top Senate Republican lawmakers believe their party is unified behind a plan to reopen DHS, but they are facing resistance when trying to sell it to Democrats.
— [Mar 24, 18:11] Top Senate Republicans push plan to end DHS shutdown, but obstacles remain (Krdo)Senate Republican lawmakers express optimism that negotiations between the White House and Congress have yielded a viable path forward for reopening Department of Homeland Security operations.
— [Mar 24, 09:35] ... For the first time in more than a month, there's optimism (Punchbowl News)Senators from both parties appear near to reaching an agreement that would fund most DHS agencies and conclude what has become its second-month-long shutdown.
— [Mar 24, 17:05] LATEST: Senate Republicans believe they have found a viable path (NBC News)A tentative deal between the White House and Democrats to reopen Department of Homeland Security is viewed as acceptable by administration officials while momentum continues toward ending government shutdown.
— [Mar 24, 16:58] LATEST: Senate Republicans believe they have found a viable path (NBC News)A group including Senators Katie Britt and Lindsey Graham met with President Trump to discuss funding the bulk of DHS as part of an effort that has lasted six weeks.
— [Mar 24, 13:05] Senate closes in on potential deal to end DHS shutdown (Cbsnews)Top Republicans have proposed a plan with limited concessions on immigration enforcement funding and voter ID policies in an attempt to reopen DHS while securing enough bipartisan support for the rest of ICE's budget; however, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has rejected this offer as insufficient. In response, GOP leaders argue that Democrats cannot demand reforms without first providing full agency funding due to ongoing security concerns at airports.
Senators and President Donald Trump appear close to an agreement that will fund most of the Department of Homeland Security while excluding a portion of its Immigration and Customs Enforcement budget. This potential resolution aims to end nearly two months of partial government shutdowns amid worsening airport delays, though it includes Republican demands for voter-ID mandates in exchange for party-line funding from Congress.