After weeks of deadlock, the House finally passed a bill Thursday to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security, ending the agency’s longest shutdown. The quick voice vote sends the bipartisan plan to President Trump. While a large portion of DHS is funded, immigration enforcement—a central point of debate—is being paid for separately. This stabilization comes after White House warnings that temporary funds for parts of the agency, like TSA workers, were about to run out, raising fears of travel disruptions. DHS has lacked regular funding since mid-February. Democratic Rep. Rosa DeLauro, who backed the bill, stated, “It is about damn time.” The Senate had approved the plan weeks ago, but internal Republican disagreements stalled it in the House. A path forward is now clear for at least part of the department.
(Photo courtesy of Pixaby)