The Senate failed to advance a measure to fund the Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday, 11 days into a partial government shutdown with no apparent end in sight. In a 50 to 45 vote, the measure fell well short of the 60-vote threshold needed to move forward. The vote marked a second attempt to advance the measure and came after lawmakers returned to Washington following a weeklong recess without a deal to reform federal immigration agencies. Congress’ failure to reach an agreement on how to fund DHS prompted a funding lapse for the department, which also oversees the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Transportation Security Administration and the Coast Guard. The major sticking point has been over Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection and Democrats have pledged to withhold funds unless they are reined in. ICE and CBP received tens of billions of dollars in separate funding last year, meaning the shutdown is having minimal if any impact on immigration enforcement. But the funding lapse is set to begin impacting other parts of DHS, with FEMA and TSA workers and the Coast Guard — most of whom are deemed essential and have continued to work during the shutdown — expected to receive only a partial paycheck later this week on Friday.
Before leaving for the week, this morning, the House passed H.R. 4758 – Homeowner Energy Freedom Act. The vote was 210-199. This comes on the heels of legislation the House passed Tuesday that would give the federal government new authority to repeal existing energy efficiency standards while making it more difficult to adopt new ones in the future. The “Home Appliance Protection and Affordability Act,” H.R. 4626, sponsored by Representative Rick Allen (R-Georgia), passed the House in a 217–190 vote, with the support of seven Democrats.
For today, the Senate is expected to take up Confirmation of Executive Calendar #647 John DeLeeuw, of Texas, to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board for the remainder of the term expiring December 31, 2026.
