Tipsheet

House Agrees to Senate-Backed DHS Funding Measure, But There's Still a Massive Hill to Climb

Matt Vespa
Matt Vespa  |  April 30, 2026 1:30 AM


The vote on the rules package was huge. It was a roller coaster, with House Republicans only able to afford one or two defections—though they had at least five—yet Speaker Johnson managed to get it approved. That procedural hurdle was enormous, but final passage and the circus antics still loomed, making it another herculean effort. There’s also plenty of time for drama, and yesterday afternoon into the evening saw a lot of it. 

The farm bill and the provisions that reportedly provide immunity to pesticide manufacturers. Trump is reportedly following these votes very closely. 

For FISA, the House approved a three-year extension but added a rider that bans the Federal Reserve from issuing digital currency. That provision is a poison pill in the Senate, as Sen. John Thune (R-SD) made clear before the vote. The good news is that the framework to fund the Department of Homeland Security has been agreed upon (via CBS News):

The House on Wednesday adopted a Senate-approved budget plan, the first step in a strategy that would allow Republicans to fund federal immigration agencies through the rest of President Trump's term without the help of Democrats.

Senate Republicans unveiled and adopted the budget blueprint last week. Republicans are trying to meet Mr. Trump's June deadline to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, and end the funding lapse that has shut down the Department of Homeland Security since February.

The resolution cleared the House in a 215 to 211 vote. It directs the committees that oversee ICE and Border Patrol to draft legislation to deliver about $70 billion to the agencies. 

Adoption of the budget plan simply allows lawmakers to begin their work crafting legislation to fund the agencies, which both chambers will later need to approve. 

Republicans are planning to fund other parts of DHS on a separate track.

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Wednesday's vote did not come without GOP infighting. What was expected to be a quick vote turned into an hourslong saga as some House Republicans launched a rebellion over an issue with an unrelated farm bill. 

And that farm bill is becoming a problem. But we’re moving along. It’s not pretty, not even close, but some core pieces are moving forward. For now, DHS funding appears to be the cleanest, whereas FISA and the farm bill are heading for rocky shoals.