GOP Senators are losing patience with Speaker Johnson over DHS crisis, and federal workers might face the brunt of the damage

Senate Republicans are growing increasingly frustrated with Speaker Mike Johnson as he continues to block a vote on a Senate-passed bill meant to fund the Department of Homeland Security, The Hill reports. This standoff is creating a precarious situation for federal employees, as lawmakers warn that the White House may soon run out of the flexibility needed to keep paying critical staff.

The concern is that agencies like the Transportation Security Administration and the Coast Guard could see staffing levels collapse if Congress doesn’t act. White House budget director Russell Vought painted a grim picture during a Budget Committee hearing on Thursday. He testified that the Department of Homeland Security is currently disintegrating because of the funding lapse that has persisted since February 14.

Vought told senators that he and Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin are working hard to keep federal workers from leaving their jobs. “As of right now, the Department of Homeland Security is disintegrating because the secretary and I are having to figure out ways to temporarily fund people’s paychecks so we don’t have people quit and embark on new careers,” Vought said. He emphasized that the situation is urgent, noting, “There is no money for the entirety of the Department of Homeland Security.”

Many GOP senators are now worried that Speaker Johnson is backing away from a conceptual agreement made before the Easter recess

Senate Majority Leader John Thune and other leaders had expected the House to take up the Senate-passed package, which would fund most of the department while excluding Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol. Sen. Lisa Murkowski expressed her desire for the House to act on this specific package immediately. “I think that makes more sense in trying to move things quickly,” she said. Murkowski added that the Senate viewed the bill as the quickest, most targeted way to end the two-month-long shutdown.

However, Speaker Johnson has taken a firm stance against this approach. He told reporters on Wednesday that he will not advance the Senate bill until the Senate first passes a budget reconciliation bill to fund ICE and Border Patrol for the next 3 1/2 years. This puts the Senate in a difficult spot, as moving a bill through budget reconciliation to avoid a Democratic filibuster could take another month.

House conservatives remain unconvinced by the Senate’s strategy. Rep. Chip Roy argued that the Senate made a mistake by isolating the Department of Homeland Security from other departments, which he believes has handed more leverage to Democrats. “I think the Senate keeps making mistakes, and I think we’re living with those mistakes every day,” Roy said. Rep. Ben Cline echoed this sentiment, noting that House members would be more comfortable with the Senate’s funding bill only if a reconciliation bill is handled first.

While GOP senators are feeling the pressure, they remain cautious about publicly criticizing the Speaker. They are trying to balance their frustration with the need to maintain party unity. An anonymous Republican senator noted that while they blame Democrats for blocking funding for immigration enforcement, Johnson’s refusal to move on the compromise is making the situation worse.

“We have agreements at the top levels with our leadership in a lot of ways — or at least conceptual agreements — I don’t know why we can’t stand by them. That is frustrating,” the senator said.

For now, the clock is ticking. Sen. Katie Britt, who chairs the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, made it clear that the current trajectory is unsustainable. “Time is of the essence,” she stated. “I certainly am not a fan of where we are in this process but we are where we are and we must figure out a pathway forward.”