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Congress returned to Washington on Monday (April 14) with a packed agenda, as lawmakers confront a historic Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown, high-profile efforts to expel or discipline members, and heated debate over President Donald Trump’s ongoing war in Iran.
The DHS has now been partially shuttered for a record 58 days, with funding stalled due to disputes over immigration enforcement. Senate Republicans, with the backing of President Trump, are pushing a separate, party-line bill to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol, using the budget reconciliation process to bypass Democratic opposition. Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso said, “We’re gonna have a very specific bill coming out before June 1 that will fund the Border Patrol and ICE for the entire presidency, the three years left of President Trump,” according to Fox News.
House Republicans are waiting for the Senate to make concrete progress on the reconciliation bill before voting to fund the rest of DHS, which would restart operations for agencies like the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Democrats, meanwhile, insist on substantial reforms to immigration enforcement before supporting any ICE or Border Patrol funding, leading to ongoing gridlock. The Senate’s approach would fund most of DHS through bipartisan means, while ICE and Border Patrol would be handled in a GOP-only bill.
Beyond budget battles, Congress is grappling with a wave of scandals. Two lawmakers—Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California and Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas—announced their resignations Monday following allegations of sexual misconduct and, in Gonzales’s case, an extramarital affair with a staffer. Swalwell denied the sexual assault allegations but apologized for “mistakes in judgment,” while Gonzales acknowledged the affair and said he would file his “retirement from office” when Congress reconvenes. Both departures come as the House considers expulsion votes for two more members, each facing ethics investigations for alleged campaign finance violations and misuse of federal funds.
Meanwhile, foreign policy is front and center as lawmakers debate how to respond to President Trump’s military campaign against Iran. Democrats are leading a bicameral effort to pass a war powers resolution to curb the president’s ability to wage war without congressional approval. While they are confident they have enough Republican support to pass the measure, it is unlikely to reach the two-thirds majority needed to override a presidential veto.