President Donald Trump signed a bill on Thursday to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security, marking an end to the 76-day partial government shutdown that began on Feb. 14.
The White House announced the president’s signing of the legislation on Thursday afternoon after it passed the House hours earlier. Trump did not immediately comment on social media about the bill.
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Certain agencies that fall under DHS, such as the Transportation Security Administration and the Secret Service, will now be fully funded through Sept. 30. The two agencies that enforce federal immigration operations are not included in the bill.
Funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection will be granted through a separate GOP bill that’s going through a legislative process known as budget reconciliation. It was the only way for Republicans to fund ICE and CBP without making major concessions, given Democratic opposition.
The House advanced that spending bill on Wednesday after the Senate did the same last week. It just needs to be approved in both chambers by June 1, the deadline that Trump imposed on Republicans.
Congress is going on recess soon and won’t return until mid-May, leaving Republican lawmakers a few weeks to pass the bill and send it to the president’s desk.
HOUSE PASSES FUNDING BILL TO REOPEN DHS MINUS BORDER ENFORCEMENT
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said his department is “back open” after 76 days, setting a record for the longest government shutdown in U.S. history after the 43-day federal funding lapse last fall. He added that the “Democrat shutdown” should never have happened.
“To our great, patriotic employees who have continued to protect the homeland every single day without a guaranteed paycheck — thank you,” Mullin posted on X. “President Trump and I are very grateful to be in the fight with you to Make America Safe Again.”
