"I'm Larry Craig, and I approve this message."
Posted on 03/27/2026 7:24:33 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Sadly, we dive into the chaos of procedures, party disputes, and institutional rivalries. The Senate approved a funding measure by voice vote to reopen most of the Department of Homeland Security, except for Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The frontline troops are financed through the big, impressive bill. Its civilian staff is not. The Senate passed this around 3 am and then left town. They aren't expected to return until April 13.
Speaker Johnson: This gambit that was done last night is a JOKE!
He's absolutely LIVID. pic.twitter.com/hGl7sWHtjX— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 27, 2026
Meanwhile, House members were outraged that they were not consulted, believing that the partial funding of DHS, one of 12 key appropriations measures each year, shouldn’t be managed this way. They are relying on a 60-day continuing resolution, which means the DHS shutdown will continue for at least another two weeks. The good news is that TSA agents will be paid, thanks to President Trump signing an order permitting reserve monies from last year's tax cut bill to be released (via NBC News):
Mike Johnson confirms:
- 60 day clean CR passed tonight or tomorrow am
- The senate bill is going right into the shredder
- Negotiations with Democrats could continue
- He's spoken with President Trump
- OMB is processing TSA paychecks RIGHT NOW pic.twitter.com/CoQ8V30ADi— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 27, 2026
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., announced Friday he will hold a House vote on a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security on a short-term basis for 60 days.
Johnson blasted the Senate-passed bill that funds all of DHS except Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, calling it “a joke.”
He placed full blame for it on Democrats, even though Republicans control the Senate and the bill passed by unanimous consent.
“They have taken hostage the funding processes of government so that they can impose their radical agenda on the American people,” Johnson said.
The Senate left town for a two-week recess, and Democratic senators have vowed to block funding for ICE and CBP without restraints on immigration enforcement operations.
Yes, but Democrats caused this mess by shutting down DHS over Presidents’ Day weekend. They also didn’t get their de-masking of ICE agents or judicial-warrant concessions, and now John Thune says that won't be included in the proposed reconciliation package planned to fund the rest of DHS.
We’re back to square one, but Democrats got nothing. The bad news is that TSA agents remain strained. Also, for House members, I can see why they’re livid beyond the procedural jamming by the Senate: they passed everything, including DHS funding, earlier this year. The government was funded through September, with Democrats’ votes for ICE.
So, yes, a “win” since Democrats won’t get ICE concessions, but now the GOP punted on re-opening DHS.
Yeah, it looks like we got outmaneuvered, though likely entirely by accident, since the Schumer-Jeffries brain trust is discount-level. But Nancy Pelosi is still around. No doubt she’s been doing some talking, and she knows how to do a great many things.
FULL INTERVIEW W/ @SpeakerJohnson ... just aired live on SALEM coast to coast. The Speaker is angry...says OMB is processing paychecks for TSA ... says TRUMP agrees with House GOP position...lots of news in here! They will pass a 60 day clean, full CR for DHS tonight or tomorrow. https://t.co/9V4NWVqcwk— Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) March 27, 2026
Here's the order for paying TSA:
As the Democrat-caused shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues well into its sixth week, America's air travel system has reached its breaking point. This is an unprecedented emergency situation. Currently, more than 60,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees, including approximately 50,000 transportation security officers who perform security functions at domestic airports, are not being paid due to congressional Democrats' reckless decision to prioritize criminal illegal aliens over American citizens and shut down DHS until their demand to prohibit enforcement of Federal immigration law is met.
Since the shutdown began, nearly 500 transportation security officers have left their positions, and thousands more have begun to call out sick at record rates due to lack of pay. As a result, security wait times at some airports have reached untenable lengths of three or more hours. These increased wait times, combined with declining morale among TSA staff, unacceptably heighten the risk of security vulnerabilities within our domestic travel system and has negatively impacted countless Americans.
If Democrats in the Congress will not act to honor the service of our TSA officers, who are now performing their critical public safety responsibilities without knowing whether they will be able to buy food for their families or pay their rent, then my Administration will take action. As President of the United States, I have determined that these circumstances constitute an emergency situation compromising the Nation's security.
Accordingly, I hereby direct the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, to use funds that have a reasonable and logical nexus to TSA operations to provide TSA employees with the compensation and benefits that would have accrued to them if not for the Democrat-led DHS shutdown, consistent with applicable law, including 31 U.S.C. 1301(a).
Once regular funding for TSA has been restored, every effort should be made, as authorized by law, to adjust applicable funding accounts within DHS to ensure the continuation of DHS operations and activities consistent with planned expenditures prior to the lapse.
Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
DONALD J. TRUMP
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Jim
It is a joke and good for Mike.
Yes Thune. Forget this. Pass Save America. That matters. Trump already fixed TSA with Emergency powers. Senate confederacy of dunces.
Tell Thune to stick this Senate POS bill up his arse . Deputize ICE agents into a new department, and order them back in the field to continue on.
Getting paid along the way!!
If the disloyal opposition had any brains, they would run Jim McGovern (Commie-MA) in 2028; he could sell a freezer to an Inuit. God be praised, they don’t have any brains.
Scalise, Jordan, and Roy were the only debaters on our side tonight who sounded like they actually were angry about the 🐂💩 the Senate tried to make smell like perfume.
But, does she know HOW to get out of hell??? THAT is the question.
"I'm Larry Craig, and I approve this message."
Down with Thune!
Smells like BS, but they put a an erudite verbal haze over it.
As he should have and with a red hot poker.
Johnson is one of the very smartest and best ones up there but that isn’t saying a whole lot unfortunately. The little guy is smart, stubborn, tough and a gentleman most of the time. His star should hang much higher in my opinion.
Thune is the snake I always thought he is.
I suspect some Biden appointed district "judge" is going to make a ruling...
Trump has appointed more district judges in his 2nd term than Biden did in his 1st, in a little over 2 years so far.
All I really cared about for the time being was that the TSA Agents get paid. No airport should be put under all that undue stress with wrap around lines. as we have seen for last few weeks. It highlights how the Dems do not care how much surplus suffering they cause the voters.
Mr. Speaker, the GOP is a joke.
I walked in from work early this afternoon, turned on the TV to Newsmax-and saw Johnson speaking in a barely restrained, angry voice. First time I’ve seen him really pissed-I expected him to start pounding the podium with a fist, shouting profanity or exhaling fire, like a dragon. Has this speaker Johnson been hiding, waiting for the right trigger, or did he get testicular enlargement surgery? Either way, it was great to see...
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