The US House of Representatives voted Tuesday to end the partial government shutdown, sending a stopgap spending bill to Donald Trump, who is expected to sign it quickly.
The bill ends the three-day shutdown and funds roughly three-quarters of federal agencies, but only extends funding for the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks, setting up another high-stakes deadline.
What the bill does
- Ends the partial shutdown that disrupted federal services, including air traffic operations
- Slightly reduces overall federal spending
- Preserves funding for NIH, Pell Grants, and election security
- Funds Trump priorities such as a military pay raise and air safety investments
- Cuts international aid funding following last year’s closure of USAID
The measure passed narrowly in the House after intense pressure from Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson, who worked to quell a conservative revolt over demands to attach stricter voter ID requirements.
DHS is the next flashpoint
Congress failed to agree on long-term funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees agencies including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, CBP, TSA, FEMA, and the Secret Service.
DHS funding was stripped from the main package after Democrats demanded changes to immigration enforcement following the fatal shootings of two US citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis last month.
Democrats are pushing for:
- Body cameras for immigration agents
- Limits on face coverings during operations
- Revisions to enforcement protocols
Johnson acknowledged the coming clash, saying, “The real fight begins over the Homeland bill.”
What comes next
Lawmakers now have two weeks to reach a DHS funding agreement. Failure to do so would trigger another shutdown, this time affecting border security, disaster response, and airport operations.
Trump urged lawmakers to move quickly, warning against another prolonged shutdown that could damage the economy and delay key data releases, including the January jobs report.
For now, the shutdown is over. The political fight over immigration enforcement is just beginning.
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