NDFC - This Week in Congress

This Week in Congress

April 17, 2026

Congress reconvened this week to address a comprehensive agenda, including fiscal year 2026 appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security and additional funding allocations for immigration enforcement and defense. Republican leadership is preparing to advance President Trump’s request through a partisan expedited process, aiming to bypass a Democratic filibuster. This initiative faces a challenging timeline, as President Trump has set a deadline of June 1, and House Republicans remain divided on the approach.

Appropriations related to Homeland Security may be consolidated into one reconciliation bill, potentially followed by a separate package to address other Republican priorities such as Defense Department funding and state voting reforms.

The House considered votes on five measures, including three bills amending the Clean Air Act: the FENCES Act (H.R. 6409), which seeks to clarify emissions standards for sources outside the United States; the FIRE Act (H.R. 6387), permitting states to petition the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to exclude air quality monitoring data impacted by wildfire mitigation activities from regulatory decisions; and the RED Tape Act (H.R. 6398), designed to streamline EPA’s review procedures under the statute. Additionally, a resolution (H. Res. 1156) was introduced in support of tax policies benefiting working families.

Beyond the FISA section 702 bill (H.R. 8025), the chamber reviewed the Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act (H.R. 1011), intended to expedite agricultural producers’ access to federal disaster relief funds; the ALERT Act (H.R. 7613), an aviation safety bill prompted by a recent helicopter and plane collision at the D.C. airport; and 14 bills proposing the renaming of U.S. post offices. The chamber also debated an Iran War Powers resolution, while a discharge petition led by Representative Aryanna Pressley (D-MA) could prompt a vote on H.R. 1689, requiring the administration to extend temporary protected status to Haitian immigrants for three years.

The Senate resumed deliberations on the SAVE America Act (S. 3752) and held votes concerning the Iran War Powers resolution and confirmation of nominees from the Trump administration.

Last week, Georgia Republican Clay Fuller secured victory in a special election to fill the House seat vacated by former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R), who resigned in early January. Upon Fuller’s swearing in, the House will comprise 218 Republicans and 213 Democrats, granting the Republicans a two-vote majority.

FY 2026 DHS Appropriations

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been unfunded for 59 days. On April 1, President Trump asked Congress for a reconciliation bill by June 1 to fund ICE and CBP, implying support for the Senate-passed Homeland Security appropriations bill. House GOP leaders had resisted voting on that bill before recess.

Senate Majority Leader Thune and House Speaker Johnson plan to fund DHS via both bipartisan appropriations and partisan reconciliation. Democrats back the Senate bill and seek immigration enforcement reforms, while Republicans favor the reconciliation bill, which few Democrats will support. Procedurally, the Senate repassed its partial DHS funding on April 2, but House Republicans are waiting for reconciliation progress before voting. This delay could stall DHS funding for months. President Trump’s April 3 Executive Order ensured DHS employees were paid, reducing urgency for immediate legislative action.

While Congress has used reconciliation to fund programs beyond bipartisan agreement, relying on this process for annual appropriations undermines its constitutional spending authority and weakens the balance between branches.

Reconciliation 2.0

President Trump has called for the next budget reconciliation process to be fast and focused. Republican leaders, including Leader Thune and Speaker Johnson, emphasize that the bill should be narrowly streamlined, covering only three years of appropriations for DHS immigration enforcement and border security. They argue that funding for agencies that would otherwise be supported through regular appropriations should not require revenue offsets.

Budget reconciliation, authorized by the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Act of 1974, allows Congress to pass tax, spending, and debt-limit legislation in the Senate by a simple majority instead of the usual 60-vote threshold. Strict rules limit what may be included. Republicans could pursue two reconciliation bills this year, one for FY 2026 and one for FY 2027.

Not all Republicans agree on the approach. The House Freedom Caucus wants multi-year DHS funding, while others see reconciliation as a vehicle for war supplemental funding, election security measures, or other priorities. Adding too many provisions risks collapsing the process, especially given high costs: FY 2026 ICE and CBP funding alone was estimated at $28 billion, and the administration’s FY 2027 DOD proposal seeks $350 billion via reconciliation. Budget hawks may push for revenue offsets, while moderates could resist spending cuts ahead of the midterms.

Republican leaders aim to pass a narrow Reconciliation 2.0 bill now, with a broader Reconciliation 3.0 later, though timing challenges remain, as any third reconciliation cannot begin before October. President Trump wants the next bill enacted by June 1—just seven weeks away—despite the average reconciliation process historically taking nearly six months. Previous fast-track examples include a 28-day Republican bill in 2001 and a 34-day Democratic bill in 2021.

The Senate is expected to move first. Leader Thune plans a floor vote on a budget resolution by month’s end, which is required in both chambers to initiate reconciliation.

FY 2027 Appropriations

On April 3, the White House released the President's discretionary budget request, proposing a 44% increase in defense spending and a 10% decrease in non-defense discretionary spending. The president's budget is mostly symbolic and rarely influences Congressional appropriations.

This month, the House Appropriations Committee will begin marking up spending bills, starting with Military Construction-Veterans Affairs and Financial Services-General Government, beginning the process earlier than in recent years.

SAVE America Act

The Senate recently rejected an amendment to require photo ID for federal elections, with the bill debate set to continue. On March 31, President Trump signed an executive order enforcing stricter mail-in voting rules and directing states to identify eligible voters; Democrats have filed a lawsuit against its enforcement.

FISA Sec. 702 Extension

The government’s authority to conduct warrantless surveillance of foreigners abroad under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) expires in one week. Republican leaders and the White House are pushing for a clean 18-month extension, and the House plans to vote on the measure this week.

The proposal is politically divided. The Speaker cannot use suspension of the rules, which requires a two-thirds majority, so he must pursue passage under regular order. This process requires the Rules Committee to report a rule and the full House to approve it. The minority party typically opposes rules without concessions, and current Republican support is insufficient to pass the rule alone. The Speaker could allow amendments to gain far-right backing, but this may reduce Democratic support. Strong White House backing will be essential for passage.

Iran War

Democrats plan to push Iran War Powers resolutions this week. Even if passed, they lack enough support to overcome a likely presidential veto. The effort mainly aims to spotlight opposition to the war and compel Republicans to state their stance.

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