Witness urges House to accept Senate amendment to secure five FY26 spending bills, holds DHS to two-week CR

An unidentified witness urged members of the committee to accept a Senate amendment that would enact five full-year fiscal 2026 appropriations bills and place the Department of Homeland Security on a two-week continuing resolution, saying the priority must be to fund the government and keep it working.

The witness told Chairwoman Fox, Ranking Member McGovern and members of the rules committee that the underlying package — assembled and passed by the House two weeks earlier — covered the final six fiscal 2026 appropriations measures and had now been returned from the Senate with an amendment that "fully funds five divisions for the year and places the remaining division, the Department of Homeland Security, under a two week continuing resolution." The speaker argued that, faced with the Senate alteration, the House had a practical choice: take the amended bill or risk leaving the government unfunded.

"Getting 90% of something is better than 100% of nothing," the witness said, urging a pragmatic approach to avoid gaps in federal funding. The witness noted that the five full-year bills before the House would fund major agencies including the Department of Defense; the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education; Transportation and Housing and Urban Development; the Department of State; and the Department of the Treasury, along with related agencies.

The speaker contrasted the Senate's stopgap approach with the comprehensive bill the House negotiated earlier, listing provisions the House measure had contained: body-worn cameras and de-escalation training for ICE; pay raises for the Coast Guard and air traffic controllers; funding to support firefighters and first responders; strengthened disaster preparedness; and measures to combat fentanyl. The witness said President Trump had engaged Democrats in discussions and expressed confidence that the final outcome would closely mirror the House-negotiated measure once talks concluded.

The testimony closed with an appeal to members to support the bipartisan package. The witness thanked the committee and said they looked forward to answering questions later in the hearing.