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WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune announced Wednesday what they are calling a path forward to fully funding the Department of Homeland Security and ending a record partial government shutdown.
They said in a joint statement that “in the coming days,” Republicans in the House and Senate would follow through on President Donald Trump’s directive to fully fund the department, using two parallel tracks. One would follow the regular appropriations process. The other would use a reconciliation bill that Republicans would likely have to pass on their own later this year.
Neither outcome is guaranteed, and the strategy certain to face opposition from Democrats, if not the GOP’s own ranks.
“We appreciate and share the President’s determination to once and for all bring an end to the Democrat DHS shutdown,” said Johnson, R-La., and Thune, R-S.D.
The two chambers were at an impasse last week when the Senate passed a bill that would not include funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and for U.S. Border Patrol, and would set aside Democratic demands for new limits on the agencies.
But House Republicans passed a bill that would entirely fund DHS for 60 days.
As a result, the shutdown continued as lawmakers left for their home states and congressional districts for a two-week recess. Senate Democrats will have to cooperate with part of the plan, but it was not immediately clear whether they will.
The announcement showed that for now, Thune and Johnson are on the same page. Their working relationship experienced a rupture late last week when Johnson rejected Thune’s plan.
Earlier Wednesday, Trump weighed in on the shutdown, using a social media post to seemingly call on Republicans to fund the immigration portions of DHS through a bill that would not require Democratic support. He said he wanted the legislation on his desk by June 1.
“We are going to work as fast, and as focused, as possible to replenish funding for our Border and ICE Agents, and the Radical Left Democrats won’t be able to stop us,” Trump said.
