Senate Passes Homeland Security Funding Bill

The bill must still pass the House and be signed by President Trump to take effect.

Lawmakers Continue Work On Capitol Hill As Shutdown Drags On — Source: Chip Somodevilla / Getty

WASHINGTON — The Senate passed a Homeland Security funding bill early Friday, moving closer to ending the 42-day partial shutdown. The measure would reopen most of the Department of Homeland Security but does not provide funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement or parts of Customs and Border Protection.

The bill must still pass the House and be signed by President Trump to take effect. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said the measure was reached due to time constraints and contains no department reforms.

The shutdown has affected Transportation Security Administration workers, many of whom have gone without pay. President Trump said he will issue an order to pay TSA agents immediately to reduce airport delays.

Nearly 500 security officers have resigned during the shutdown, and more than 11% of employees called out on Wednesday. ICE agents have been assigned to airports to assist with ID checks and crowd management.