House Approves DHS Funding Measure as Senate Vote Falls Short

Editor’s Note

This article is intended to provide a factual summary of recent congressional action related to Department of Homeland Security funding. It reports on the bill’s contents, voting outcome, and procedural next steps without endorsing or opposing the legislation. Statements regarding lawmakers’ positions are included to provide context for the legislative discussion and do not reflect the views of Political Awareness Super PAC.

Note: Political Awareness never authorizes its published communication on behalf of any candidate or their committees.

On January 22, 2026, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a $64.4 billion funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as part of the annual federal appropriations process. The bill, which includes roughly $10 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), passed the House by a vote of 220–207.

The legislation provides funding for DHS operations through the end of the current fiscal year. DHS oversees a range of federal agencies responsible for border security, immigration enforcement, disaster response, transportation security, cybersecurity, and counter-terrorism efforts.

In addition to ICE funding, the bill allocates resources for Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Together, these agencies carry out DHS’s core responsibilities related to national security, emergency preparedness, and infrastructure protection.

House Vote Details

Most members of both parties voted along party lines. All but one Republican supported the bill; Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY.) voted “no,” diverging from the majority of his party. Seven House Democrats joined Republicans in voting in favor of the legislation, rather than opposing it with most of their party.

The Democrats who voted “yes” included:

Rep. Henry Cuellar (Texas)
Rep. Jared Golden (Maine)
Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Washington)
Rep. Don Davis (North Carolina)
Rep. Laura Gillen (New York)
Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (Texas)
Rep. Tom Suozzi (New York)

These members cited reasons such as ensuring uninterrupted funding for federal operations and avoiding a lapse in DHS functions. Other members of their party opposed the bill based on concerns about enforcement priorities and oversight provisions.

Senate Action and Current Status

Following passage in the House, the DHS appropriations bill advanced to the U.S. Senate for consideration. As of January 29, 2026, the Senate has not approved the House-passed measure. On Thursday, senators voted on a procedural motion to advance a six-bill appropriations package that included DHS funding. The motion failed by a vote of 45–55, falling short of the 60 votes required to move forward.

The vote reflected opposition from members of both parties. All Senate Democrats voted against advancing the package, citing concerns related to immigration enforcement policy and oversight provisions. In addition, seven Senate Republicans voted against the motion, joining Democrats in opposing advancement of the funding package. Those Republicans included Sens. Ted Budd (N.C.), Ron Johnson (Wis.), Mike Lee (Utah), Ashley Moody (Fla.), Rand Paul (Ky.), Rick Scott (Fla.), and Tommy Tuberville (Ala.).

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (S.D.) also voted against the motion for procedural reasons, a common practice that allows the measure to be reconsidered at a later time.

Because the procedural vote failed, the DHS funding bill remains unpassed in the Senate. Lawmakers continue discussions on potential revisions to the legislation, alternative procedural approaches, or temporary funding measures as the January 30 deadline to avoid a partial government shutdown approaches.

Context and Next Steps

Supporters of the bill cited the need to provide continued funding for federal agencies and to prevent interruptions to DHS operations. Opponents raised concerns related to policy priorities, oversight mechanisms, and provisions affecting immigration enforcement, including funding for ICE.

With a January 30 funding deadline approaching, Congress faces the possibility of a partial government shutdown if outstanding appropriations bills are not enacted. Lawmakers continue discussions on potential paths forward, including possible changes to the legislation, separating DHS funding from other spending measures, or approving a short-term funding extension to allow additional time for negotiations.

The DHS appropriations bill is one of several annual spending measures required to fund federal departments and agencies. The debate over the bill reflects broader considerations in Congress regarding funding levels, agency responsibilities, and oversight of federal operations.