Share this @internewscast.com

WASHINGTON — Congressional leaders struck a deal Monday evening on funding the Department of Homeland Security, two sources familiar with the talks said, paving the way for lawmakers to begin processing the remaining spending bills and avert a government shutdown next weekend.

Details of the deal, which another source characterized as an agreement in principle, were not immediately available.

Funding is set to expire Saturday morning for the departments of State, Defense, Homeland Security, Labor and Health and Human Services and a host of other agencies. The other five funding bills were effectively settled by the end of last week, with only the Homeland Security bill presenting deep divisions Republicans and Democrats were unable to settle.

Heading into the weekend, negotiators were poised to release a package that includes the five other funding bills and would fund DHS separately on an extended stopgap basis, largely continuing the status quo, before reviving attempts to negotiate a full-year funding bill for the department through the end of September.

Separately, a source familiar with negotiations said the White House and other Democrats wanted more border security and enforcement money, while another source said Republicans wanted to reprioritize DHS funds toward the agency’s core mission, without elaborating.

The pivot back to those negotiations slowed the release of text for all six bills. And it will still be difficult for Congress to move the spending bills since the Appropriations committees have not yet released the legislative text of the bills. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has indicted he’ll give lawmakers 72 hours to read the text before a vote. The Senate will then require unanimous consent from all members to vote by 11:59 p.m. ET Friday to avoid a partial government shutdown the following day.

The deal is being negotiated by Johnson, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the White House and top appropriators in both chambers. Congress, which broke up the process into two, passed the first tranche of bills this month.

The political salience of immigration, particularly among conservatives, presents a land mine for Johnson.

On Monday afternoon, two leaders of the hard-right Freedom Caucus, Reps. Bob Good, R-Va., and Chip Roy, R-Texas, issued a letter from 41 Republicans demanding that any DHS funding bill include “the core elements of H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act,” or President Joe Biden’s immigration policies won’t change, they said.

“Therefore, we ask you to join us in rejecting the appropriations package (or anything similar) slated to be before the House that will directly fund these disastrous policies, and choose instead to stand against this assault on the American people,” they wrote.

The hard-right members are widely expected to vote against the package, and their votes aren’t necessary to create the bipartisan coalition necessary to pass the bill. But those members can create political headaches for Johnson if they’re sufficiently angry about it.

While the two parties have clashed over the appropriate venue for border policy changes — the funding bill or a separate package — the White House has also sought additional funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other operational needs.

Republicans rejected additional funding for ICE in a bipartisan border deal agreed to by senators and the White House, demanding additional policy changes. But they, too, have demands in the funding bill. The White House has also sought increased flexibility to aid border operations, sources with knowledge of the discussion said. It’s unclear how many of Biden’s requests will make it into the bill.

It’s highly unusual for Congress to continue haggling over government funding nearly half a year into the fiscal year. Funding for fiscal year 2025 is due by the end of September.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Tourist stabbed multiple times at NYC's iconic Macy's during holiday shopping rush

Suspect in Macy’s Stabbing Incident Released from Psychiatric Ward on Day of Attack, Has History of Mental Illness

A homeless woman from Massachusetts, recently charged with stabbing another woman inside…
American Cancer Society backs women collecting their own samples for cervical cancer screenings

American Cancer Society Endorses Self-Collection for Cervical Cancer Screenings, Empowering Women Nationwide

LOS ANGELES — The American Cancer Society has announced its support for…
GOP state Sen. Rick Niemeyer explains Indiana redistricting vote rejecting plan backed by Donald Trump ahead of 2026 midterms

Indiana GOP Senator Rick Niemeyer Reveals Why He Dismissed Trump’s Redistricting Plan Before 2026 Elections

In a surprising political move, a state senator from northwest Indiana has…
Palmdale Street shooting on Jacksonville's Northwest side leaves man dead

Jacksonville Man Survives Shocking Roommate Shooting: A Nighttime Attack Unfolds

A Jacksonville man is on the mend after an incident involving his…
Service academies lead U.S. forward

How America’s Service Academies Are Shaping the Nation’s Future

Today, approximately seven million viewers will tune into the iconic Army-Navy football…
Chicago firefighters battle large house fire on South Lafayette Avenue on South Side

Blaze Erupts on South Lafayette Avenue: Chicago Firefighters Rush to the Rescue

In a dramatic turn of events on Friday evening, Chicago firefighters found…
Bill Gates Blames Trump Administration for 'Lots of Deaths' Due to Global Aid Cuts

Bill Gates Criticizes Trump for Global Aid Reductions Linked to Increased Deaths

Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, has transitioned from tech mogul to a…
Archaeologists uncover rare fresco of Jesus in town Pope Leo XIV recently visited

Rare Jesus Fresco Discovered in Town Just Visited by Pope Leo XIV: A Historic Archaeological Find

Archaeologists in Turkey have made a remarkable discovery, unearthing a fresco depicting…
Venezuela accuses US of 'piracy' after seizing massive oil tanker

Venezuela Condemns US ‘Piracy’ Over Seizure of Major Oil Tanker, Escalating Tensions

On Wednesday, Venezuela issued a strong condemnation of the United States’ seizure…
‘Miracle on Ice’ Team Visits White House for Great Honor, Gives Pres. Trump Historic Souvenir

Legendary ‘Miracle on Ice’ Team Visits White House, Presents President Trump with Iconic Memento

There aren’t many moments when I find myself feeling a twinge of…
Illegal immigrant caught and released by Biden administration now charged in Washington vehicular homicide

Undocumented Immigrant Released Under Biden Administration Faces Charges in Washington Vehicular Homicide Case

In a tragic incident in Washington state, a semi-truck driver has been…
Fox News True Crime Newsletter: Brian Walshe’s secrets, Luigi Mangione 911 call, Marilyn Monroe mystery

Brian Walshe Opts Out of Testifying Amid Allegations of Tampering with Father’s Will Prior to Murder Trial

Brian Walshe, currently on trial for murder, opted not to testify in…