The Bellevue Compass

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Welcome back to the Compass. This week, Congress is staring down a deadline to fund DHS after it applied patch funding in an effort to get other agencies funded last week. It left them with just nine days after it was all said and done, and those nine days are coming to a close. So far, talks are just barely inching forward. 

We break everything down below. 

What’s Going on in Congress

The option on the table right now, from the GOP conference’s perspective, is a continuing resolution for another patch of funding to ensure that DHS—and ICE—stays funded past Friday. Democrats, however, are proponents of a 10-point plan to overhaul ICE and Customs & Border Protection, which opponents say undermines the administration’s efforts to crack down on illegal immigration. 

Right now, it’s seemingly increasingly likely that there won’t be a deal before lawmakers leave town on Thursday for the Munich Security Conference. According to The Hill, there’s a hope that if funding for DHS does lapse, the One Big Beautiful Bill funding will lessen the blow to other federal agencies that would be impacted by the funding halt, including the Transportation Security Administration, FEMA, and the U.S. Coast Guard. More on that below in the Pennsylvania Impact section. It’s worth noting that even with a partial shutdown and no patch funding, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is slated to receive over $76 billion over the next four years from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law in July. 

Meanwhile, an attempt to block largely symbolic resolutions in the House that disapprove of President Trump’s tariffs failed on Tuesday after three GOP members broke ranks to vote against the procedural measure. Last March, House leadership used a procedural measure to block efforts to force a vote on Trump’s use of a national emergency to implement tariffs on Canada, China, and Mexico. It was extended for the second time in September, but expired on January 31st. Though Speaker Johnson and House GOP leadership spent Tuesday whipping for votes to continue the blockage, it was in vain—Republicans Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Kevin Kiley of California, and Don Bacon of Nebraska broke from the party to end the procedural measure 217-214. Kiley is quoted saying, “I don’t think that the House should be limiting the authority of members and enlarging the power of leadership at the expense of our members.” 

Now, with the procedural vote struck down, Democrats have reportedly prepared several tariff resolutions for a vote, which is ultimately an attempt to put GOP members on record opposing the tariffs.

The other major fight brewing in Congress is the filibuster. And once again, voting issues are at the center of the argument. The situation is flipped: after the GOP united against an attempt to sidestep the 60-vote majority requirement to pass a Democratic bill four years ago, the same instance is occurring once more from the other side. The House is set to pass the SAVE Act today, which requires identification for all voters in all 50 states. GOP senators are hoping to use the “talking filibuster” to delay the legislation and get it passed along party lines, rather than with a 60-vote majority. It remains to be seen whether or not that will happen, with Majority Leader Thune solidly against the idea. 

Those are the major things happening with legislation in Congress this week. We’ll get into more national news in the What We’re Watching section below, but for now, here’s the sector breakdown. 

The Sector Breakdown

The Pennsylvania Impact

It goes without saying, but we’ll say it again, that there is still no solution out of Congress to the rising cost of healthcare as a result of the ACA expiration. A major point of impact will be the lapse of DHS funding. Here’s how it breaks down: 

TSA airport screeners, funded by DHS dollars, won’t stay missing paychecks until March, but it’s a possibility if the funding lapse continues longer than a few weeks. When the government shuts down, TSA agents work without pay and often stop showing up to work as a result, resulting in longer wait times at airports, which could prove an issue for a busy spring season. After the last shutdown, the House introduced the “Keep America Flying” bill, aiming to keep essential air traffic and TSA personnel paid during future government shutdowns, but dissidents worry this would take away an essential bargaining point of ending shutdowns. 

FEMA, which is also funded by DHS, has around $7 billion left in its Disaster Relief Fund, which will sustain the agency for a month or two barring any major disasters that would drain its coffers. FEMA distributes funds as reimbursements to states, and in the event of a longer shutdown, this payback program would be restricted. Similarly, the Coast Guard, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the Secret Service would fund only essential personnel.

🔥 What We’re Watching

Did You Know? Butler County is the birthplace of the Jeep, which was initially designed for use by soldiers in WWII. Every year, the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival takes place in Slippery Rock.

Till next time,