The Senate failed to advance a bill to fund part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), leading to almost six weeks of shutdown. President Donald Trump indicated he would sign an executive order to pay transportation security agents during the shutdown, potentially easing the urgency for a deal. The latest vote in the Senate fell short of the 60 votes needed to move the legislation forward, resulting in the seventh failed attempt.
Lawmakers are deadlocked in negotiations to fund various parts of the DHS, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the coast guard, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The latest proposal from Republicans, labeled as their final offer, was rejected by Democrats seeking stronger regulations on federal immigration enforcement.
Despite negotiations falling apart, Trump invoked a national emergency to pay 50,000 airport security officers affected by the shutdown. This move was described as a short-term solution by Sen. John Thune. Senate Republicans plan to draft text to fund as much of the DHS as possible, hoping for swift approval.
House Republicans introduced a bill to re-open the DHS for the third time, garnering support from four Democrats. Meanwhile, the acting TSA administrator warned of historic wait times at airports and noted that TSA staff are facing financial difficulties due to missed paychecks.
Furthermore, an amendment to require voter photo identification failed in the Senate, with no Democratic support. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the proposed amendment as imposing strict voter ID laws.
