Congressman Pat Harrigan voted on Mar. 28 in favor of an eight-week Continuing Resolution that will fund the entire Department of Homeland Security, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), through May 22, 2026. The measure also provides backpay to Department of Homeland Security employees who have not received compensation since a funding lapse began on February 14.
The vote is significant because it aims to keep all agencies within the department operational, rather than funding only select parts as proposed in a Senate-passed bill. According to Harrigan, “For over 40 days, DHS employees have shown up to work and kept this country safe without knowing when their next paycheck was coming. That is unacceptable, and this CR is a critical step toward making it right.”
Harrigan said the House rejected the Senate’s approach because it would have funded airports but left border agencies without resources. “The Senate sent us a bill that funds our airports but left our border agencies without a dollar, and we sent it back,” he said. “You cannot fund only half of our homeland security.” He added that the Continuing Resolution ensures all DHS workers are paid while negotiations for full-year funding continue.
The resolution includes several provisions: full funding for ICE and CBP; immediate relief for Transportation Security Administration agents after President Trump signed a memorandum directing available funds be used for their pay; preservation of border security at a time when more than 382 individuals on the terrorist watchlist were stopped attempting illegal entry between fiscal years 2021 and 2024; continued negotiations on long-term solutions; and assurance that no agency or employee will be left behind during these discussions.
In related context, Harrigan won his seat by defeating Ralph R. Scott, Jr., securing approximately 57 percent of the vote in the most recent general election according to Ballotpedia.
Harrigan concluded by saying, “This Continuing Resolution funds all of DHS, gets our workers paid, and keeps negotiations moving forward. That is the right answer, and I am proud to support it.” The House has now passed its version of the bill while awaiting further action from the Senate.
