Senate Republicans are pressing Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to quickly bring up a Senate-passed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill, warning that a lapse could trigger a partial shutdown with furloughs and pay disruptions for DHS personnel, according to The Hill.
- Senate GOP lawmakers urged Johnson to move fast on the DHS appropriations measure to avoid a funding lapse, The Hill reported.
- The push follows Senate passage of a DHS funding bill; senators want the House to clear it before funding expires, according to The Hill.
- A DHS funding lapse could lead to furloughs for many employees and require others to work as “excepted” staff without timely pay until funding is restored, a standard shutdown outcome outlined in federal shutdown guidance.
- DHS operations potentially affected include security, immigration, disaster response coordination, and agency support functions—areas where staffing rules differ during a shutdown depending on whether work is deemed necessary to protect life and property.
- Federal employees impacted by a shutdown typically receive back pay after funding is restored under the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act, but pay can be delayed during the lapse.
Brief context: DHS is funded through annual appropriations, and when appropriations lapse, agencies must follow shutdown plans that determine who is furloughed and who must continue working. For federal employees, the practical impact can include delayed paychecks, halted training and travel, paused contracting actions, and reduced administrative support. For service members and uniformed components within DHS (including the Coast Guard), pay and operations can be affected differently depending on the specific appropriations and legal authorities in place during a lapse. Lawmakers have repeatedly faced deadline-driven funding fights in recent years, with shutdown threats often resolved through short-term measures or last-minute passage of appropriations.
For DHS civilians, the biggest near-term questions are whether your position is designated “excepted,” whether your office issues updated guidance on reporting to work, and how time and attendance will be handled if funding lapses. Employees should monitor official agency communications and OPM shutdown resources. For general guidance on shutdown mechanics and employee status categories, see FedBrief’s explainer: https://fedbrief.org/.
Source: The Hill (reporting on Senate Republicans urging Speaker Mike Johnson to act on a Senate-passed DHS funding bill to avert a shutdown), https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5846382-gop-senators-mike-johnson-pressure-dhs/