Leadership Steve Scalise RSS Articles

Scalise Highlights Louisiana's Energy Leadership

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Fox News’ Fox and Friends to discuss his New Orleans roots, President Trump’s leadership in preventing a nuclear Iran, and Louisiana’s role in unleashing American energy.

Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise's full interview.

Highlights from Leader Scalise’s interview:

On the success of Operation Epic Fury:

“Well, everybody for decades has wanted to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. I mean, they're proving to the world right now why you don't want that regime to have a nuclear weapon. Obviously, a lot of the top leaders don't exist anymore. But the ones that are still around, especially with the IRGC, you know, they're trying to still wreak havoc on not only the Middle East, all their neighbors. They're still shooting missiles at their neighbors, tying up the Strait of Hormuz, proving, though, every day why we need to resolve this conflict.

“President Trump's the only president who's done what, frankly, probably the last five presidents before him have heavily contemplated. How do you stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon? President Trump did it, and the whole world's a safer place, but America is— look, they chant death to America, Steve. And when they slaughtered over 30,000 of their own people, do you not think they're going to put some kind of enriched uranium on a warhead? And they've got the missile capabilities. They don't have them anymore because the President, through our great men and women in uniform, have been decimating their launching capabilities, their missile production capabilities, drones. The naval fleet is eviscerated. So there have been a lot of things that are going to reap benefits for the United States, but for the whole world for a long time to come.”

On Louisiana’s role in unleashing American energy:

“Every year, I take members of Congress out to an oil platform. Been doing this for over 15 years. So we bring a lot of members from all around the country to show them just how you produce in the deep waters of the Gulf of America. And you think about it, we're going to go to an Occidental platform today. They have eight of them out there. Each one of these is about a $3 billion privately funded asset. Today we're going to be at a platform that produces 12,000 barrels a day. America is able to produce all of our own energy, Steve, because President Trump said we're going to have smart American energy policy. So oil, natural gas produced at that facility going into the pipelines that feed America and also our allies around the world so that the Strait of Hormuz, you know, other bad countries like Iran are not a factor in how we get our energy here in America.”

On Scalise’s New Orleans roots:

“So my family came here, I was born here in the city of New Orleans... you know, everybody loves New Orleans. The culture is unbelievable. The people, the food, my gosh, no better food, music. Got to meet Fats Domino when I was a kid. I mean, you talk about some great history in this place. Of course, Louisiana Purchase in 1803 was signed right over there at the Cabildo, doubled the size of the country. Also, we could get access to the Port of New Orleans for commerce for the nation.

“...Right near the Superdome, my grandparents had a little grocery store. A lot of Italians, when they came here, they started little grocery stores, and, you know, they were not far from where the dome is today.

“...St. Louis Cathedral, this is where 21 years ago, Jennifer and I, my wife, got married here at the cathedral. A lot of great history with this building. In 1987, Pope John Paul II gave Mass here at the St. Louis Cathedral. Going through a major renovation right now, but a beautiful historic church... a lot of history here tied to this great nation that we're proud of.”

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Scalise: President Trump and Republicans Take Action to Keep Americans Safe

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined ABC News’ This Week to discuss President Trump’s efforts to stop a nuclear Iran and House Republicans’ push to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security amid heightened threats.

Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise's full interview.

Highlights from Leader Scalise’s interview:

On President Trump’s decisive action to prevent a nuclear Iran:

“If you look at what President Trump has laid out in terms of the objectives, he's been meeting them. He's been very clear about what those objectives are. And I think the whole world knows that a nuclear-armed Iran would have been a danger to the world... And so President Trump's doing something that, frankly, Republican and Democrat presidents before him have thought about contemplating, but President Trump's the one who had the guts to do what needed to be done to keep America and the rest of the world safe. And so we're going to get through this mission. But as you're seeing it being carried out, Epic Fury has been successful in achieving its objectives.

“…You don’t want [Iran] to have a nuclear weapon, because they will absolutely use it when they're chanting death to America and they get a nuclear weapon. And they had, by the way, just slaughtered over 30,000 of their own people. Imagine what they would do to us. When they've already killed hundreds of our soldiers. Remember, Iran declared war on America going back to 1979. They've been killing Americans for decades. So, some president was going to do something about it. Many thought about it. President Trump's finally taking the action that, frankly, all of the free world and the civilized world is applauding right now.”

On House Republicans’ commitment to fully fund DHS:

“Well, we actually read their bill, and frankly, a number of senators have expressed buyer's remorse with what they did at three in the morning. So we looked at it. One of the things that we had real concerns with is it actually defunds over 25% of the baseline operations of the Department of Homeland Security. 25% at a time when we're at a heightened threat level.

“And so we've passed now four bills out of the House to fully fund the department, the one that we sent after the Senate sent over their weak offer. We sent a bill that was short-term. It's not exactly what we want, but at least it allows everybody to get paid, all the agencies, TSA, everybody, while we negotiate our differences. We have very big differences between the House and the Senate. The Senate bill they sent over, by the way, defunds about 7,000 positions at the Department of Homeland Security. And John, keep in mind, we've had three Americans killed just last week by people here illegally. We've had four terrorist attacks on our home soil here in America just in the last month. This is no time to be defunding major operations at the Department of Homeland Security and that's what the Senate bill did.”

On the need for the Senate to pass the House DHS CR:

“The bill is over in the Senate. The Senate's got options. They've got to come back and deal with it. I hope they pass the short-term bill that at least funds everything over to the president. But the bill they sent us, keep in mind, would zero out, defund things like cybersecurity operations, human trafficking investigations.”

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The Republican Recap: Week of March 23, 2026

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Here’s a recap of what Republicans achieved on the House Floor this week:

Fully Funding DHS and Rejecting Half-Measures on America’s Security ✅

House Republicans have been clear: Congress must fully fund the Department of Homeland Security. Three times, the House passed a bipartisan, bicameral negotiated bill that would fully fund DHS for FY26. Eight times, Democrats in the House and the Senate voted against paying TSA, CISA, FEMA, ICE, Border Patrol, the Coast Guard, and the Secret Service.

But in the dead of the night, the Senate passed legislation – the same legislation House Democrats proposed last week – that intentionally pulls funding for CBP and ICE. While this Senate Democrat DHS bill includes funding for some parts of CBP, it completely defunds the U.S. Border Patrol and ICE, and overall defunds nearly 26% of DHS.

While Democrats say ICE and Border Patrol are funded through the Working Families Tax Cuts, the truth is reconciliation funding was meant to allow these agencies to surge operations in support of President Trump’s priorities and is designated for specific uses. It does not replace base funding received through annual appropriations to fund the day-to-day operations. Under the Democrat Senate bill, nearly 7,000 non-law enforcement personnel from Border Patrol and ICE could continue to go without pay and investigations into child exploitation, drug trafficking, cybercrime, and human trafficking would remain hindered.

We can’t take half-measures on our homeland security, especially at a time of evolving threats. House Republicans refuse to capitulate to radical demands from Democrats that put Americans’ safety at risk. This week, for the fourth time, we passed legislation to fully fund the DHS. Our short-term continuing resolution ends the shutdown and ensures critical missions and personnel are funded while Congress works to find a long-term solution.

Chairman Tom Cole’s legislation, H. Amdt. to the S. Amdt. to H.R. 7147, the Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026, provides for continuing appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security through May 22 to end the Democrat DHS shutdown, restore full funding for DHS, pay all the dedicated DHS personnel who work to safeguard our nation, and ensure all security operations are no longer disrupted.

“Is our border secure? Are our airports safe? Will hardworking personnel receive their paychecks? Can Secret Service plan for the security of upcoming national events? Do Americans have confidence that their government is doing its job to protect the country? This bill answers those questions with certainty,” said Chairman Tom Cole. “It ends the Democrat shutdown, restores full funding for the Department of Homeland Security, and ensures the men and women on the front lines of safeguarding our nation are paid, supported, and able to carry out their duties without continued disruption. It brings stability back to DHS now – and makes clear where the House stands: with our citizens. In the Senate – more than 40 Democrats spent weeks protecting Chuck Schumer’s leadership career instead of governing. In America, over 270,000 DHS personnel protect our borders, monitor our airports, dismantle drug networks, stop child trafficking, and patrol our shores. I know which number and mission matters more – and this chamber made that choice clear.”

What Members Said:

Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Brian Babin blasted the 203 Democrats who voted against protecting our homeland.

Rep. Bill Huizenga highlighted that our legislation ensures TSA, the Coast Guard, FEMA, ICE, Border Patrol, and additional agencies are properly funded through May 22nd, while the Senate Democrat DHS proposal left roughly 26% of DHS unfunded.

Supporting DHS Employees and Calling to Fund DHS ✅

It’s Day 43 of Democrats’ DHS Shutdown, and Americans across the nation are suffering the consequences. Over 100,000 DHS workers – including more than 50,000 frontline TSA employees – aren’t getting paid. Additionally, more than 450 TSA agents have quit since the DHS shutdown began. One dad of three felt forced to quit his TSA job, saying, “My family has to come first.” Airports are collecting donations and opening food pantries for TSA agents and their families, and wait times have surged at airports across the country, with some lines stretching to the parking lot.

Meanwhile, we are on elevated alert nationwide due to evolving threats. We’ve seen horrific attacks in Texas, New York, Michigan, and Virginia just in March. The FBI is warning of “lone wolf” attacks and agencies are monitoring suspected sleeper cells on American soil – all while Democrats refuse to fund DHS. It is reckless, dangerous, and puts American lives at risk.

Every day the Democrats’ DHS shutdown lasts, they demonstrate that they are the party of lawlessness and chaos. Democrats don’t want criminal aliens deported, they don’t stand with our law enforcement, and they don’t care about the People. They only want to satisfy their radical base. It’s embarrassing and a dereliction of duty. House Republicans won’t stop fighting to restore order, protect Americans, and fund DHS. We passed a resolution to affirm our support for the DHS employees who protect our nation and emphasize the importance of funding DHS immediately.

H. Res. 1128, introduced by Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, acknowledges the importance of fully funding the Department of Homeland Security, emphasizes that the American people are at increasing risk each day DHS goes unfunded, and expresses our deep gratitude to DHS employees for their unwavering commitment to protect the U.S. from those who seek to cause harm.

“For the third time in six months, politics is getting in the way of giving critical American workers the pay they’ve earned,” said Rep. Ryan Mackenzie. “Frontline workers, like TSA agents at Lehigh Valley International Airport, should not lose their paychecks because of political games. That’s why I introduced this resolution thanking our DHS employees and calling for full funding alongside commonsense, bipartisan reforms.”

What Members Said:

The Committee on Homeland Security slammed the all-but-nine Democrats who refused to support H.Res. 1128, which recognizes the hardworking men & women of DHS who continue to work without pay and supports full funding for the Department to protect Americans.

Rep. Scott Franklin highlighted that H.Res. 1128 makes clear that those who keep our country safe should never be caught in the middle of funding fights.

Funding DHS to Secure Our Homeland and Ensure Americans’ Safety ✅

At a time when we most need to ensure the security of our nation, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is shut down thanks to Democrats’ political antics. Withholding DHS appropriations means no funding for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), TSA, FEMA, the Coast Guard, and the Secret Service. This is leaving America more vulnerable during increased threats, interrupting critical government services, and forcing over 100,000 federal employees to go without pay. This is now the third time in six months Democrats have held federal employees paychecks hostage.

Under Biden, over 10 million illegal immigrants entered the U.S. from over 160 countries, including countries on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list. Over 400 illegal aliens on the Terrorist Watch List were encountered at the border – and these are just the ones we caught. We know that bad actors came across the border undetected under Biden and that counterterrorism agencies are monitoring suspected sleeper cells on American soil.

Especially now, in the wake of Biden’s four years of open borders and evolving threats, we cannot handicap the department tasked with keeping Americans safe. It’s absurd, it’s irresponsible, and it is only hurting the American people. For a third time, House Republicans passed legislation to ensure the government is fully funded and American communities and citizens are kept safe.

H.R. 8029, the Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act, sponsored by Rep. Juan Ciscomani, makes appropriations through FY26 and supports efforts to defend our homeland, bolster border protections, deter and respond to cyber threats, counter terrorism, and enhance public safety.

“This week, the House took action once again to stand with the men and women who defend our homeland every single day,” said Rep. Juan Ciscomani. “For more than 40 days, DHS personnel have done their jobs without receiving a paycheck because of political games in Washington. That is unacceptable. My Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act ensures that the hardworking men and women at TSA, CISA, Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol, the U.S. Secret Service, FEMA, and the U.S. Coast Guard are paid for the critical work they do to keep Americans safe. As a representative of a border district, with CBP, Border Patrol, TSA and other federal employees, and a state who experiences catastrophic wildfires and relies on FEMA, I am proud to stand with these men and women who should never be used as leverage in partisan fights, and I’m honored to lead this bill that passed the House this week to support them and their families.”

What Members Said:

Rep. Mary Miller called out the 206 Democrats that voted against H.R. 8029 and funding the Department of Homeland Security, while House Republicans did our job and delivered.

Rep. Gabe Evans emphasized that while Republicans voted for H.R. 8029 to pay our homeland defenders, 206 Democrats voted to prolong a shutdown that weakens public safety, strains morale, and puts additional pressure on the very people we rely on to protect the homeland.

Protecting American Companies and Property Abroad ✅

The international maritime supply chain has a significant impact on our domestic economy, with cargo activity at U.S. ports accounting for 26 percent of our GDP, generating almost $5.4 trillion in total economic activity and supporting 31 million direct and indirect jobs. Because of this, U.S. businesses depend on vessels and facilities at foreign ports to import goods.

However, in 2022, the Mexican government unlawfully invaded and shut down a limestone quarry in Mexico operated by an American company with facilities in both the United States and Mexico. This is blatant theft. It is crucial for our country’s economic growth and national security that we defend the property rights of American companies abroad and ensure foreign nations that unlawfully confiscate American assets are held accountable.

This week, House Republicans passed legislation to deter the wrongful seizure of American property by foreign governments, protecting the interests of American property owners and mitigating risks for American businesses operating globally.

H.R. 7084, the Defending American Property Abroad Act, introduced by Rep. August Pfluger, imposes retaliatory prohibitions to deter and punish any foreign nation that unlawfully seizes American assets, making sure American businesses are safeguarded from unjust expropriation.

“This week's House passage of my Defending American Property Abroad Act of 2026 is a necessary step to protect American businesses and workers from unfair treatment overseas. When countries violate trade agreements and illegally seize assets from U.S. companies, it puts American job security, economic security, and national security at risk. This legislation is critical because it ensures there are enforceable consequences for those actions. It sends a clear message to any foreign government that the United States will not tolerate this behavior and that we will defend our economic interests, uphold the rule of law, and stand firmly behind American companies operating abroad. I am thrilled to see this pass with overwhelming bipartisan support, and I will continue advocating for it until it passes through the Senate and is signed into law,” said Rep. August Pfluger.

What Members Said:

Rep. Gary Palmer called attention to how H.R. 7084 defends American workers, American businesses, and the rule of law.

The Republican Study Committee celebrated the passage of H.R. 7084 and how it holds foreign bad actors accountable if they seize American assets or violate trade agreements.

Making D.C. Safe and Beautiful ✅

Our nation’s capital should set the example of what American cities should look like: clean, safe, and beautiful. This week, House Republicans passed legislation to codify and expand on President Trump’s Executive Order 14252, making D.C. the standard of a great American city and a capital the American people can be proud of.

Under the D.C. Council’s years of soft-on-crime policies, Washington, D.C., turned into one of the most dangerous and deadly cities in America, with the fifth-highest murder rate of the nation’s largest cities. In addition to spikes in murder, carjackings, and juvenile delinquency, rising crime has also included increased desecration of D.C.’s public spaces.

Thankfully, President Trump has taken a stand to clean up the streets of our capital and restore law and order through executive action and enhanced federal police presence. With President Trump’s leadership, crime has significantly decreased in D.C. – even Democrat Mayor Muriel Bowser admitted the President’s actions have led to lower crime in the District. Our legislation ensures our nation’s capital is clean, safe, and beautiful by enhancing public safety, bolstering law enforcement, cleaning public areas, and restoring monuments.

Rep. John McGuire’s legislation, H.R. 5103, the Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act, establishes a commission to reduce crime in D.C. by providing necessary federal resources and strengthening the Metropolitan Police Department, and tasks the Department of the Interior with creating a program to clean and maintain popular sites in the nation’s capital—including monuments and parks—and to restore damaged federal properties.

“From the decisions made inside the Capitol Building, to the breathtaking cherry blossoms in the spring, D.C. is a hub for hard-working Americans and visitors, many of whom are my constituents. It’s common sense, cities that cooperate, communicate, and work as a team with local and federal law enforcement are safer for everyone,” said Rep. John McGuire. “Anyone who travels to D.C. should be safe while taking in the scenery and historic landmarks. The Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act is common-sense legislation that ensures our capital remains a secure, clean, and beautiful representation of our great nation. Thank you, Chairman Comer, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, and House Leadership, for working with me on the passage of this bill. I look forward to its passage in the Senate and receiving President Trump's signature.”

What Members Said:

Rep. William Timmons highlighted how H.R. 5103 makes Washington safer and cleaner by codifying President Trump's Executive Order and establishing the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Commission.

The Oversight Committee applauded the passage of H.R. 5103 and how it makes our nation's capital safe, clean, and worthy of the American people again.

Committee Cliff Notes: Weekly Recap – Week of March 23, 2026

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Here’s a recap of key moments from House Republican committees during the week:

Appropriations

On Wednesday, March 25, the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government held an oversight hearing called "U.S. Office of Personnel Management." The hearing focused on modernization and efficiency in the federal workforce, ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent effectively to keep the government working for the people.

This week, the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies, the Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs, the Subcommittee on Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, the Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies, the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, the Subcommittee on Homeland Security, and the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies held Member Day hearings, allowing Members not on Appropriations the opportunity to speak to appropriators on the issues that matter to their districts ahead of the FY27 funding process.

On Wednesday, March 25, the Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies held a hearing called "Quality of Life in the Military." Subcommittee members have the solemn responsibility to ensure our military members are taken care of both during and after their service. Updates to military structures are important to that effort. Ahead of FY27, appropriators discussed critical updates to our military infrastructure that will help our service members have a high quality of life.

On Wednesday, March 25, the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies held an oversight hearing called "National Weather Service." The National Weather Service provides critical forecasts and warnings that help Americans plan ahead for bad weather. Appropriators heard from NWS on their anticipated needs for FY27.

On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government held an oversight hearing called "The Government Accountability Office’s Assessment of the Federal Buildings Fund." The maintenance and upkeep of federal buildings costs the government more money every year. Appropriators had the opportunity to question the GAO on actions being taken to mitigate those rising costs and ensure efficient maintenance of the federal government’s properties.

On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a hearing called "Advancing Permanency in Child Welfare: Leveraging Federal Funding for Adoption Programs." Adoption builds families, strengthens communities, and gives children stable homes – but challenges remain in the child welfare system. Appropriators discussed ways the government can provide increased opportunity and stability for our most vulnerable in the FY27 funding process.

Armed Services

On Wednesday, March 25, the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces held a hearing called "National Security Space Programs and Activities." During this hearing, members heard from senior officials leading the U.S. Space Force (USSF), the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), and the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) on the Department of Defense's (DOD) national security space programs and activities.

In his opening statement, Subcommittee Chairman DesJarlais (TN-04) said, "As we have seen recently in Iran, space has become instrumental to every conflict with both space effects and support to the joint force. Ukraine has also repeatedly shown us this same lesson, with jamming becoming routine and battle lines shifting as the availability of space-based communications changes. All our space capabilities play a vital role when it comes to winning the fight. Without Positioning, Navigating, and Timing (PNT), secure communications, or Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), our modern joint force would not be nearly as effective."

On Thursday, March 26, the Committee on Armed Services held a full committee markup of the Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency (ALERT) Act. The ALERT Act was developed in response to the fatal 2025 midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport involving a civilian aircraft and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter. Following a year-long investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued 50 safety recommendations to address the causes of the accident and strengthen aviation safety across the national airspace. The ALERT Act addresses all 50 of these concerns, and the Armed Services Committee’s provisions ensure that national security considerations are fully integrated into these reforms, protecting both military and civil future operations. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee also held a markup on Title I of the legislation, while the Armed Services Committee marked up Title II—both of which were reported favorably to the House.

“We owe it to the victims of last year’s tragedy and to their families to take action to ensure that this never happens again,” Chairman Rogers (AL-03) said. “The ALERT Act takes a comprehensive approach by fully implementing all of the NTSB recommendations, strengthening coordination in our nation’s airspace, and addressing critical national security concerns. I’m proud of the Armed Services Committee’s work and our partnership with the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to deliver real solutions. I look forward to this legislation advancing with the support of my colleagues so we can get it across the finish line and make our skies safer for everyone.”

On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation held a hearing called "Information Technology Posture of the Department of Defense." During this hearing, members heard from the Department of Defense Chief Information Officer on the Pentagon’s efforts to strengthen the security and performance of the military’s digital infrastructure.

In his opening statement, Subcommittee Chairman Don Bacon (NE-02) said, “We conduct command and control with the networks we have. We pay our warfighters with the business applications we have. We plan and conduct operations on the desktops and laptops that we have. We fight at the speed of data, and the underlying IT has never been more important."

Budget

On Thursday, March 26, the Committee on the Budget held a full committee hearing called "The Best Metric to Reverse the Curse: A 3% Deficit-to-GDP Path to Fiscal Sustainability." The hearing examined the nation’s unsustainable debt and the urgent need to adopt a 3% deficit-to-GDP framework— a clear, achievable target to put America on a path to balance.

Education & Workforce

On Thursday, March 26, the Committee on Education & Workforce held a full committee hearing called "U.S. Universities Under Siege: Foreign Espionage, Stolen Innovation, and the National Security Threat." At the hearing, Republicans laid out clear evidence that foreign adversaries—especially the CCP—are targeting U.S. campuses to steal research and intimidate students. One witness, a Stanford student journalist, testified that the FBI warned she is being monitored by CCP agents—and that her family is also at risk. Republicans pushed solutions like the DETERRENT Act to protect students and increase transparency. Democrats spent the hearing dismissing the threat and accusing Republicans of racism for raising national security concerns.

Energy & Commerce

On Wednesday, March 25, the Committee on Energy & Commerce held a full committee markup on the following bills:

H.R. 7022, the Mystic Alerts Act (Pfluger)
H.R. 7386, the First Responder Network Authority Reauthorization Act (Dunn)

On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a hearing called "The Telecommunications Act of 1996: 30 Years Later." This hearing examined how the law was successful in enabling competition and growth, and where it fell short as Congress works towards ensuring our laws meet the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s technology.

On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Health held a hearing called "Policies to Protect Our Communities From Illicit Drug Threats." This hearing examined a wide array of legislation meant to protect American communities and stop the flow of illicit drugs into our country, like xylazine and fentanyl.

Financial Services

On Wednesday, March 25, the Committee on Financial Services held a full committee hearing called "Tokenization and the Future of Securities: Modernizing Our Capital Markets." The Committee, led by Chairman French Hill (AR-02), examined the role tokenization can play in modernizing our capital markets and if regulatory updates could benefit U.S. competitiveness. Members explored how traditional securities can be brought onto blockchain networks, what that could mean for investors, and how to ensure investor protections and market integrity still remain strong as the technology evolves.

On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology, and Artificial Intelligence held a hearing called "Innovation at the Speed of Markets: How Regulators Keep Pace with Technology." The subcommittee, led by Chairman Bryan Steil (WI-01), examined how federal financial regulators prioritize innovation initiatives and are adapting to rapid technological change.

On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance held a hearing called "Mitigation and Multiple Loss Properties: Factors Influencing the High Cost of Flooding." The subcommittee, led by Chairman Mike Flood (NE-01), examined the increasing risks posed by major flood events and how mitigation investments can reduce flood damage, strengthen preparedness, and lower long-term costs for both homeowners and taxpayers.

Foreign Affairs

On Wednesday, March 25, the Committee on Foreign Affairs held a full committee hearing called "Securing the Future: Arms Control and International Security for the Modern Age." The lawmakers examined international security and arms control that are crucial to U.S. foreign policy. During his opening remarks, House Foreign Affairs Europe Subcommittee Chairman Keith Self underscored the increasingly complex national security landscape and the crucial role the State Department’s Office of the Under Secretary of Arms Control and International Security plays in addressing emerging threats and advancing U.S. security and diplomacy.

On Thursday, March 26, the Committee on Foreign Affairs held a full committee markup on the following bills:

H.R. 7654, the Advance Global Health Act (Lawler)
H.R. 7642, the Generating Utility through International Disaster Expertise (GUIDE) Act (Kim)
H.R. 7641, the Transparency in Foreign Assistance Act (Lawler)
H.R. 7633, the American Assistance Visibility Act (Shreve)
H.Res. 971, Condemning the coercive actions of the People’s Republic of China against Japan in response to statements regarding Taiwan and reaffirming the United States commitment to its allies in the Indo-Pacific region (Kim)
H.R. 1744, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2025 (Smith)
H.R. 3447, the Chip Security Act (Huizenga)
H.R. 7669, the Rejecting the Erasure of Afghan Women and Girls Act (Kamlager-Dove)
H.R. 7616, the Transatlantic Academic Security and Risk Mitigation Act (Jackson)
H.R. 6428, To require the Secretary of State to submit a report on participation in educational and cultural exchange programs (Bera)
H.R. 7058, the Foreign Adversary AI Risk Assessment and Diplomacy Act (Baumgartner)
H.R. 7653, the Biodefense Diplomacy Enhancement Act (Self)
H.R. 6196, the Locally Led Development and Humanitarian Response Act (Jacobs)
H.R. 7632, the Strategic Hybrid Activities Defense and Operations for the West (SHADOW) Act (Self)
H.R. 2504, the U.S.-European Nuclear Energy Cooperation Act of 2025 (Keating)
H.R. 7649, the Humanitarian Theft Enforcement Act (McCormick)
H.R. 7605, the African Development Foundation Termination Act of 2026 (Burchett)
H.R. 7630, the Republic of Georgia Sovereignty Act (Perry)
H.R. 7675, the Securing Partner Supply Chains Act (Castro)
H.R. 7674, the Venezuela Democratic Transition Strategy Act (Moskowitz)

Homeland Security

On Wednesday, March 25, the Committee on Homeland Security held a full committee hearing called "Funding Lapse and Security Gaps: Assessing the Harmful Impacts of the DHS Shutdown on Americans," to examine the impacts of the ongoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown, caused by Senate Democrats’ refusal to advance funding for the Department. The hearing focused on how the Democrats’ shutdown impacts DHS’s core missions, strains the federal workforce, and weakens interagency security coordination. Witnesses included leaders from the U.S. Coast Guard, TSA, CISA, and FEMA.

On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security held a hearing called "Arctic Security in an Era of Global Competition: Safeguarding U.S. Interests in Frigid Waters," to examine the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) domain awareness and counterintelligence capabilities in the Arctic. As new Arctic maritime routes emerge, opportunities for commercial, tourism, and scientific exploration have arisen, while also heightening global competition for access to the region’s abundant natural resources.

House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

On Tuesday, March 24, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence held committee business to "Consider: 1) Amendment to Committee Rules; 2) Release of Committee Transcripts."

Judiciary

On Wednesday, March 25, the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet held a hearing called "Oversight of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office," which examined the United States Patent and Trademark Office's mission, operations, policies, and other matters within the agency.

On Thursday, March 26, the Judiciary Committee held a full committee markup on the following bills:

H.R. 8065, the Restoring Executive Branch Authorities to Oversee Offices of the United States Attorneys Act of 2026 (Schmidt)
H.R. 1468, the Protect America’s Innovation and Economic Security from CCP Act of 2025 (Gooden)
H.R. 7730, the Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment Act of 2026 (Cline)
H.R. 6194, the Protecting Americans from Russian Litigation Act of 2025 (Hunt)
H.R. 3420, the Words Matter Act of 2025 (Sessions)
H.R. 6453, the ADA 30 Days to Comply Act (Lawler)

The bills focused on executive authority in choosing a U.S. District Attorney, national security, economic protections, and civil rights.

Natural Resources

On Wednesday, March 25, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held a legislative hearing on the following bills:

H.R. 1555, the Bureau of Land Management Mineral Spacing Act (Bice)
H.R. 5639, the Co-Location Energy Act (Kennedy)
H.R. 7831, the License to Drill Act (Kennedy)
H.R. 7872, To amend the Mineral Leasing Act to provide for the payment of bonus payments of certain coal leases issued under that act (Hageman)
H.R. 7882, To provide for the leasing of certain deposits of minerals located within the City of Carlsbad, New Mexico (Stauber)

These bills will help secure American energy dominance by streamlining permitting, cutting bureaucratic delays and unlocking new production opportunities.

On Wednesday, March 25, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held an oversight hearing called "Unleashing America’s Mineral Potential: The Critical Mineral Commodity Supply Chain." The hearing examined how America’s critical mineral supply chains and explored how America’s mineral resources can be unleashed.

On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a legislative hearing on the following bills:

H.R. 5694, the Alaska’s Right To Ivory Sales and Tradition (ARTIST) Act (Begich)
H.R. 6893, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Advancement for Training, Education, Restoration, and Science (WATERS) Act (Scott)
H.R. 7250, To reauthorize the Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System Act of 2000 (Downing)
H.R. 7889, the Advancing Water Research and Collaboration (AWRC) Act of 2025 (Wittman)

These bills will ensure Alaska Natives have the right to sell ivory artwork and articles of handicraft, maintain critical water infrastructure for Montana’s rural communities and support water resources research.

On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a legislative hearing on the following bills:

H.R. 6778, the Parkway Safety and Reinvestment Act (Beyer)
H.R. 7618, the American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act of 2026 (Kiggans)
H.R. 7951, the Long-Term Good Neighbor Authority Act (Valadao)
H.R. 7979, the Public Lands Access Restoration Act (Crank)

These bills will safeguard American battlefield sites, strengthen partnerships and tools for active forest management and restore motorized recreation on federal roads and trails.

Rules

On Tuesday, March 24, the Committee on Rules met on the following measures:

H.R. 8029, the Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act (Ciscomani)
H. Res. 1128, Expressing the support of the House of Representatives for the Department of Homeland Security (Mackenzie)
H.R. 7084, the Defending American Property Abroad Act of 2026 (Pfluger)
H.R. 5103, the Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act of 2026 (McGuire)

On Tuesday, the Committee considered measures designed to fully fund DHS, express support for our homeland’s defenders, build on presidential efforts to restore our capital city, and counter the unlawful seizure of American infrastructure abroad. Rules Republicans condemned Democrats for their radical shutdown and their willingness to inflict pain on everyday Americans and DHS employees. We discussed Senate Democrats’ refusal to honor their word and the recklessness of moving the goalposts during an active negotiation. Republicans also detailed the strides made by President Trump to restore Washington D.C., and ensure American families can visit safely. Finally, we stressed the importance of America First principles and the need to stand up to foreign theft.

On Friday, the Committee considered a single measure meant to toss out the Senate’s unconditional surrender and fully fund the entirety of our homeland security apparatus. Rules Republicans lambasted the Senate for operating in the dead of night and abdicating its responsibility to keep Americans safe. Members discussed how the Senate measure zeroed out funding for the men and women who keep our border secure and get criminal aliens off the street. We underscored how detrimental it would be to the institution of Congress itself to allow a vocal minority of elected officials to isolate funding for specific agencies they dislike and emphasized how seriously we take our duty to keep Americans safe.

Science, Space, and Technology

On Wednesday, March 25, the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics held a hearing called "The Future of Low Earth Orbit: From the ISS to Commercial Platforms." The purpose of this hearing was to examine the planned path toward the next phase of United States space activities in low Earth orbit (LEO).

On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing called "Beneath the Waves: The Science and Technology of Deep-Sea Mining." The purpose of this hearing was to examine ocean exploration, science, and technology, including efforts to enable deep-sea mining for critical materials.

Select Committee on China

Chairman Moolenaar sent letters to President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging them to advocate for the release of Chinese dissidents and sanction key Hong Kong officials. In the letter to Trump, Moolenaar advocated for the release of China's prisoners of conscience—those jailed for their defense of human rights and religious freedom.

On Monday, March 23, Chairman Moolenaar commended the Justice Department’s filing of charges against three individuals for a conspiracy to violate U.S. national security laws and smuggle billions of dollars of advanced artificial intelligence chips to China.

On Tuesday, March 24, Chairman Moolenaar participated in a panel discussion at The Hill & Valley Forum on America’s strategy to win the competition in the artificial intelligence race against China. Joining leaders from Congress and industry, Moolenaar emphasized the urgent need for strong export controls, coordination with allies, and continued investment in American innovation to ensure the United States maintains its technological advantage.

In addition to the Select Committee on China’s work, the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed bipartisan legislation to curb the smuggling of American semiconductors to foreign adversaries. The Chip Security Act was introduced last year as a direct response to bipartisan concerns raised by the Select Committee on China in its report on Deepseek, which concluded the company used advanced chips produced by American semiconductor giant Nvidia that are restricted from export to the PRC to develop its AI model.

Small Business

On Wednesday, March 25, the Committee on Small Business held a full committee hearing called "Defending Main Street: Combating CCP Threats to America’s Small Businesses." The purpose of this hearing was to examine how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) threatens American small businesses through intellectual property theft, foreign investment, and supply chain vulnerabilities.

Transportation and Infrastructure

On Thursday, March 26, the T&I Committee unanimously approved the Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency (ALERT) Act of 2026 (H.R. 7613). The bill is the bipartisan comprehensive legislative response to the various aviation safety issues raised by the tragic 2025 midair collision between an American Airlines flight and an Army Black Hawk helicopter in Washington, DC. The approved bill – updated after its introduction in consultation with the aviation community and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) – addresses all 50 of the NTSB’s recommendations that resulted from the Board’s full investigation of the accident.

Veterans Affairs

On Wednesday, March 25, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a legislative hearing on the following bills:

H.R. 6654, the Veterans Affairs Management and Oversight of Software Assets Act (Mace)
H.R. 7280, the Veteran DATA Act (Budzinski)
H.R. 7319, the VA Bonus and Relocation Recovery Act (Self)
H.R. 7683, the VA Fiscal Management Modernization Act (Bergman)
Discussion Draft, the Vets CLEAR Act (Ciscomani)
Discussion Draft, the Veterans Affairs Subcontractor Competition and Opportunity Network Act (King-Hinds)
Discussion Draft, To amend title 38, United States Code, to require that certain sterile processing technicians of the Veterans Health Administration hold appropriate professional certifications, and for other purposes (Kiggans)
Discussion Draft, To amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the rate of pay for care or services provided under the Community Care Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs based on the location at which such care or services were provided, and for other purposes (Miller-Meeks)
Discussion Draft, To establish an entitlement to a supplemental period of unpaid parental leave for employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs (Bynum)
H.R. 7948, To deem certain individuals as parents of Department of Veterans Affairs employees for purposes of determining entitlement to certain family and medical leave for such employees (Ramirez)
H.R. 8010, To prohibit the downgrading of law enforcement positions in the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes (Kennedy)
H.R. 7950, To amend Title 38, United States Code, to establish the Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs in the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes (Self)

The bills covered a wide range of issues, including technology modernization, fiscal responsibility, and VA's responsiveness to Congressional requests. Testimony on the legislation was provided by VA, American Legion, Healthcare Sterile Processing Association, Economic Policy Innovation Center, and American Federation of Government Employees. Witness testimony and members' inquiries emphasized the importance of VA's responsiveness to Congressional casework, supporting VA's workforce, closing gaps in VA's oversight of its technology assets, and strengthening VA's ability to recoup duplicative or fraudulent costs to improve veterans' care.

On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity held an oversight hearing called "Kitchen Table Issues: Lowering Costs for Veteran Families Through the VA Home Loan Program." Chairman Van Orden expressed support for making VA's home loan program more affordable for veterans by eliminating unnecessary bureaucratic layers and modernizing the program to align with industry standards. GOP Members highlighted the need for increasing the number of VA certified appraisers, modernizing minimum property requirements, and reducing closing costs to ensure that all veterans are able to achieve the American dream and become homeowners. GOP Members also emphasized their support for President Trump's recent executive orders which aims to reduce barriers to homeownership for American families. The second panel included industry experts who expressed their desire to streamline and modernize VA's home loan program.

On Thursday, March 26, the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs held a markup on the following bills:

H.R. 1004, the Love Lives on Act of 2025 (Hudson)
H.R. 2164, the Dayton National Cemetery Expansion Act of 2025 (Turner)
H.R. 5339, the Susan E. Lukas 9/11 Servicemember Fairness Act (Allen)
H.R. 5723, the FRAUD in VA Disability Exam Act (Takano)
H.R. 6698, the Board of Veterans Appeals Annual Report Transparency Act of 2025 (Self)
H.R. 6943, the Veterans Burial Allowance and Reimbursement Act of 2026 (Evans)

Each bill was successfully reported out of the subcommittee by voice vote. H.R. 7260 and H.R. 6698 were amended to make technical changes and ensure these bills were fully offset. During the markup, Members considered Representative Richard Hudson’s bill, the Love Lives on Act of 2025. After remarks about the bill, subcommittee Chairman Luttrell expressed his support for the initiative and the need to identify an offset for this legislation before consideration by the full committee. The bill was reported favorably to the full committee.

Ways and Means

On Wednesday, March 25, the Committee on Ways and Means held a full committee markup on the following bills:

H.R. 2347, the Survivor Justice Tax Prevention Act (Smucker)
H.R. 5366, the Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2025 (Steube)
H.R. 5334, the Supporting Early-childhood Educators’ Deductions Act of 2025 (Panetta)
H.R. 7971, the Taxpayer Experience Improvement Act (Schweikert)
H.R. 7959, the IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act (Kelly)

Natural disaster victims and survivors of sexual assault will receive much needed tax relief, pre-school teachers will be able to deduct certain out-of-pocket classroom expenses, and the IRS will modernize its customer service and improve the agency’s treatment of tax fraud whistleblowers thanks to legislation approved by the Ways and Means Committee.

Five bills aimed at supporting Americans in need of relief and making the IRS more taxpayer-friendly received strong bipartisan support.

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Scalise: House Republicans Will Continue to Do Our Jobs and Vote to Fund DHS

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Fox News’ Hannity to discuss Democrats’ ‘legislative malpractice’ for refusing to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security, putting Americans' safety at risk. Leader Scalise emphasized that House Republicans will not rest until vulnerable families, TSA workers, and the entire DHS are funded.

Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise's full interview.

On the Senate partially funding DHS at a time of heightened threat:

“I think there are a lot of Republican senators that are having buyer's remorse right now, as I don't know how many of them actually knew what was in the bill at three in the morning. But we've looked at it, and I'll tell you, Lawrence, there's a number of concerns with that bill. About [over] 10% of the department is unfunded in this bill. You know what's unfunded in this bill that they sent us? Things like human trafficking investigations, cyber investigations. These are major components. There's almost 7,000 ICE and CBP personnel that will be defunded in this bill, at a time, by the way, of heightened national security. We've had threats, terrorist threats on our homeland in just the last few weeks. We've had violent illegals in our country kill Americans in the last week, just in the last week. This is not a time to be defunding the Department of Homeland Security, any part of it. So we're going to pass a bill tonight to fund the entire department, send it back over to the Senate, give them an opportunity to do the right thing. We've got to protect American people and our homeland while it's under threat.”

On Democrats' push for open borders as Americans pay the price:

“Look, we can only control the House, Lawrence, and we have to do the right thing for the American people. The American people want to be safe. Border security was the number one issue in 2024. People expect us, and should expect us to keep the country safe, and we will. And that's why we're going to pass a bill. This will mark the fourth time, Lawrence, that we'll be passing a bill in the House that funds the department properly. Now, this one's short-term, and I know we have differences between the House and the Senate, and surely amongst Democrats who want to just have wide-open borders. Let's remember that Democrats still want to go back to open borders when you're seeing illegals that are violent coming into our country killing Americans. Just in the last week, 2 Americans killed at the hands of illegals, and yet they want open borders. We're not going to do that, Lawrence. And so, however long it takes, we're here doing our job. If senators need to come back, then that's the right thing to do. Because we— look, if you've got a terrorist outside your house, you're not just going to lock the front door and leave the back door unlocked. You want to lock both doors and the windows.”

On Hakeem Jeffries previously calling to fully fund DHS:

“Well, I'll tell you, and this is where I think people are saying, you know, can't everybody work together? Listen to their Democrat leader, Hakeem Jeffries, from just a few years ago. He said it would be legislative malpractice not to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security. Well, what's changed from when he said that to now? Donald Trump is president. And by the way, thank God we've got Donald Trump keeping our border secure and finding a way to pay TSA agents when Democrats wanted to defund and have defunded TSA agents. So you've got a president who is doing what the American people elected him to do, but Democrats have gone off the deep end. They have lost their way as a party just because they hate this president. Well, we're going to still keep doing our job. We have to. We do not want another September 11th, and it seems like some people have a September 10th mentality, and we can't let that happen.”

On House Republicans not settling until DHS is properly funded:

“Well, I think they're feeling the pressure, but I think what you saw at three in the morning was people just taking the easy way out, just saying, all right, what is the deal the Democrats will vote for, and let's just do it. Well, if the Democrats will only support something that makes our country less safe, you've got to keep staying and working until you get it right because the American people count on us to do the right thing, not what's politically expedient. And so what we're going to pass tonight is, again, it's short-term, but at least it keeps the department open. It pays everybody, TSA, and everybody else, does not hold the American people hostage, but gives us a time to work out the serious differences that we have. And hopefully by then, some of those Democrats come to their senses, and the American people chime in and say, stop with the open border madness. Americans are dying from illegals that have come here killing Americans. Again, in the last week, we've seen multiple murders of Americans at the hands of violent illegals, plus terrorist attacks from people that are here on our homeland. Fully fund the Department of Homeland Security. It's got to happen.”

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Scalise: How Many More People Have to Die Until Democrats Vote to Fully Fund DHS?

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today on the House floor, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) called on Democrats to join with House Republicans and fully fund the Department of Homeland Security, arguing that anything less than full funding is reckless and puts American lives in danger.

Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise's full remarks.

Highlights from Leader Scalise's remarks:

“I rise in strong support of this important bill to fund fully the Department of Homeland Security. You know, we've done this time and time again, at least in the House. This will mark tonight the 4th time that the House has voted to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security... Mr. Speaker, we've got a job to do. Our job is to protect the American people, to do our job to keep them safe, and that's why we created this department. Not some of the department, not just pieces of the department, but the entire Department of Homeland Security.

...

“Some members want to get in a time machine and they want to go back to another day where maybe America didn't have any attacks. Well, how about we go back in a time machine and listen to the Democrat leader, Hakeem Jeffries? I'll read a quote from Hakeem Jeffries, 'We are here today to do a single job, and that should be to fund fully the Department of Homeland Security. Anything else is an abdication of our responsibility. Anything else is an act of legislative malpractice. We're playing political games at a time when the safety and the security of the American people is being threatened.' That was in 2015. Hakeem Jeffries. Now, what's happened between now and then? Well, let me tell you, Mr. Speaker, this is not your father's Democrat Party anymore.

...

“Just because it happened in the Senate at three in the morning doesn't mean nobody heard it. We did. We didn't just hear it. We read the bill and we said no. Mr. Speaker, that is not the responsible thing to do for this country. This country is counting on us. And by the way, it's at a time when we're at a heightened level of threat. If you're wondering what that heightened level is, I know there's some people that just want to go after police all the time. Why don't we just read a couple of the names that the other side doesn't want to read?

“Richard Williams, Mr. Speaker, 83-year-old U.S. Air Force veteran who was randomly shoved into subway tracks by an illegal alien from Honduras, just died this week... We've all heard of Sheridan Gorman. Maybe not enough people, Mr. Speaker, have heard of Sheridan Gorman, but we're going to say her name again. A beautiful 18-year-old young girl from Loyola University in Chicago, a student who had the world before her, shot to death by, yes, an illegal alien from Venezuela who came over here under President Biden's open borders... Stephanie Minter, a 41-year-old mother from Virginia, randomly stabbed to death by an illegal. Yes, with a lengthy rap sheet with more than 30 prior charges. How many more of these do we have to have before some people will say, okay, maybe we need to fund this department?

...

“Could you imagine if you had a terrorist outside of your house and somebody said, well, we'll let you lock the front door, but we don't have time to lock the back door? You'd think that was crazy... But yet [Democrats] want to defund this agency and make our country vulnerable, make Americans less safe.

“I'm not going to have anything to do with that, Mr. Speaker. I want to fund the whole department. That's what this bill does. It pays everybody, pays the TSA agents as they should be. As Democrats have voted time and time again to not pay, we pay them... These are big differences, but these are dangerous times in America. This is not the time to defund the police, to defund the Department of Homeland Security, at any level. So, Mr. Speaker, I would urge everybody to vote for this bill. Let's do our job. We are here doing the right thing to keep America safe.”

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The Leader’s Floor Lookout: Thursday, March 26, 2026

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Here’s what to watch for on the House Floor today:

Supporting DHS Employees and Calling to Fund DHS

It’s Day 41 of Democrats’ DHS Shutdown, and Americans across the nation are suffering the consequences.

Over 100,000 DHS workers – including more than 50,000 frontline TSA employees – aren’t getting paid, missing their first full paycheck as of Friday, March 13. This amounts to $1 BILLION in unpaid wages each month.

Additionally, more than 450 TSA agents have quit since the DHS shutdown began. One dad of three felt forced to quit his TSA job, saying, “My family has to come first.” Airports have begun collecting donations and open food pantries for TSA agents and their families, and wait times have surged at airports across the country, with some lines stretching to the parking lot.

Meanwhile, we are on elevated alert nationwide due to evolving threats. We’ve seen horrific attacks in Texas, New York, Michigan, and Virginia just in March. The FBI is warning of “lone wolf” attacks and agencies are monitoring suspected sleeper cells on American soil – all while Democrats refuse to fund DHS. It is reckless, dangerous, and puts American lives at risk.

Every day the Democrats’ DHS shutdown lasts, they demonstrate that they are the party of lawlessness and chaos. Democrats don’t want criminal illegal aliens deported, they don’t stand with our law enforcement officers, and they don’t care about the American people. They only want to satisfy their radical base. It’s embarrassing and a dereliction of duty.

House Republicans won’t stop fighting to restore order, protect Americans, and fund DHS. Today, we’re bringing a resolution to affirm our support and gratitude for the DHS employees who protect our nation and emphasize the importance of funding DHS immediately.

H. Res. 1128, introduced by Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, acknowledges the importance of fully funding the Department of Homeland Security, emphasizes that the American people are at increasing risk each day DHS goes unfunded, and expresses our deep gratitude to DHS employees for their unwavering commitment to protect the U.S. from those who seek to cause harm.

Enough is enough – the American people and DHS employees deserve more. House Republicans are standing up for America’s security and the DHS employees who should be rightfully paid for protecting our country. Will Democrats join us, or continue playing politics with American lives?

Funding DHS to Secure Our Homeland and Ensure Americans’ Safety

At a time when we most need to ensure the security of our nation, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is shut down thanks to Democrats’ political antics.

House Republicans sent a bill – a bipartisan, bicameral negotiated bill – to the Senate that would fund DHS for FY26. But Democrats wanted to pander to their radical far-left base, so they decided to shut down the department of the federal government that secures the U.S. against threats, including counterterrorism operations, cybersecurity, border control, and emergency management.

Withholding DHS appropriations means no funding for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), TSA, FEMA, the Coast Guard, and the Secret Service. This is leaving America more vulnerable during increased threats, interrupting critical government services, and forcing over 100,000 federal employees to go without pay. This is now the third time in six months Democrats have held federal employees paychecks hostage.

Under Biden, over 10 million illegal immigrants entered the United States from over 160 countries, including countries on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list. Over 400 illegal aliens on the Terrorist Watch List were encountered at the border – and these are just the ones we caught. We know that bad actors came across the border undetected under the Biden Administration and that counterterrorism agencies are monitoring suspected sleeper cells on American soil.

Especially now, in the wake of Biden’s four years of open borders and evolving threats, we cannot handicap the department tasked with keeping Americans safe. It’s absurd, it’s irresponsible, and it is only hurting the American people. For a third time, House Republicans are bringing forward legislation to ensure the government is fully funded and American communities and citizens are kept safe.

H.R. 8029, the Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act, sponsored by Rep. Juan Ciscomani, makes appropriations through FY26 and supports efforts to defend our homeland, bolster border protections, deter and respond to cyber threats, counter terrorism, and enhance public safety.

Delivering stability and security to the nation and the American people should never be a partisan issue. Will Democrats prove they care more about protecting illegal immigrants and putting on a political show than they do about the security of our nation, or will they do the right thing?

Scalise: Democrats are Siding with Illegal Immigrants Over the American People

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Newsmax’s Wake Up America to discuss TSA agents struggling to make ends meet as Democrats vote to withhold their paychecks and keep the Department of Homeland Security shut down to appease their radical base.

Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise's full interview.

Highlights from Leader Scalise’s interview:

On the radical direction of the Democrat party:

“You're seeing Democrats that just want chaos to appease the radical base, the Mamdani wing of their party. That's who's driving the Democratic Party today. It's not your father's Democrat Party where you can just reason and, you know, Tip O'Neill and Ronald Reagan working things out. They hate Donald Trump and they want chaos. They don't care if it affects people adversely. You see it. They know that families are waiting 4 hours at airports, missing flights, you know, not being able to make vacations or funerals or weddings. They don't care. And we're going to have a vote today on the House floor. You're going to see the vote. And look, it's a very straightforward vote. Do you want to fund the Department of Homeland Security, TSA, Coast Guard, all of that, yes or no? It's two buttons, yes or no. And you'll see Republicans voting yes. And you're going to see Democrats voting no to make people go to work. 100,000 of these agents having to go to work without getting paid because Democrats are voting no.”

On Democrats voting for chaos and lawlessness:

“You know, we're going to continue to give more opportunities. The vote you're going to see today is going to be the eighth time that Congress will be voting to fund this department. And eight times Democrats keep voting no. When will they take yes for an answer? I mean, look at all the changes President Trump has made to the Department of Homeland Security. We have a new secretary now, Markwayne Mullin, who's going to do a great job. He's over there. Tom Homan's come in, made major reforms. You know, you're seeing lots of changes in how enforcement's working.

“But oh, by the way, the murderers are still out there, as we saw in Chicago, another horrible death, young, beautiful girl shot down by an illegal who Joe Biden and Democrats let in. And Democrats are voting to keep those borders open and let more murderers into our country. This is a major fight that America needs to understand. You know, Republicans are fighting for law and order. Democrats want to defund the police. They want lawlessness. They want open borders. And they're defending the criminals who come here illegally and harm Americans. It's insane. I can't explain it. I don't know if you can. It makes no sense. But these people are crazy, as Donald Trump said at the State of the Union.”

On TSA agents struggling to make ends meet because of Democrats’ political games:

“[The TSA Deputy Administrator] also testified that TSA agents are sleeping in their cars because they can't pay rent. So imagine, you know, you talked about all the checks that they've missed... they've gone 49% of this fiscal year without a paycheck because Democrats cruelly voting to deny them pay while they're doing this important job to keep our country safe. Whose side are these Democrats on, by the way, when they would rather side with violent criminal illegals over Americans who want to be safe and TSA agents who are just doing a job to let you go to an airport and get on a plane and not have to worry that a terrorist was going to get on that plane with some kind of bomb-making device. I mean, this is a pre-September 11th mentality that Democrats have right now. And it's the votes, you can see it's a very transparent vote. You can go look at it. Call my office if you want to see the vote today and get a list of who voted yes and who voted no to keep defunding the police and defunding our TSA agents, who are barely making it. They've got rent due, they've got to try to eat. I mean, there's food shelters, setting up food shelters for TSA agents at airports. Democrats should be ashamed of themselves for voting no today.”

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Scalise Highlights Democrat Leadership’s Hypocrisy on DHS Shutdown

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today on the House floor, before 206 Democrats voted against funding the Department of Homeland Security, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) called out Democrats for prolonging Americans' suffering. Leader Scalise highlighted Democrat hypocrisy by pointing to Hakeem Jeffries' past remarks, calling it 'legislative malpractice' to not fully fund DHS.

Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise's full remarks.

Highlights from Leader Scalise's remarks:

“I rise in strong support of Congressman Ciscomani's bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security. And Madam Speaker, this is a bill that should have passed weeks and weeks ago. In fact, today will mark the third time that this House has voted to fully fund the department. In case you want to know how that vote went, there's been a record vote twice already in the House. You can see who's voting yes to fund TSA agents, to fund the people at the Department of Homeland Security who work every day to keep us safe here in America – all the Republicans, almost every Republican voting yes, every one on March 5th. Almost every Democrat voted no on March 5th, voted no to shut the department down. The Democrats shut this down, Madam Speaker.

“January 22nd was the first vote. Almost a party-line vote. Republicans voting yes to fund the department. Democrats voting no. March 5th, same thing. Republicans voting yes to fund the department, Democrats overwhelmingly voting no to shut it down.

“Now, there is a day today where they can seek redemption and stand up for those workers, the TSA agents who are showing up for work and not getting paid. Do you know that if you're a TSA agent in America, this fiscal year, Madam Speaker, you have gone 49% of this year without a paycheck? That's disgraceful...

“At my home airport in New Orleans, people were sleeping overnight so they'd have a chance to make their flight. There are people waiting over 3 hours and still missing a flight, Madam Speaker, to go maybe on a family vacation, maybe they've got to go to a funeral or a wedding. This is disrupting the lives of real people. Let me tell you what the TSA [Deputy Administrator] testified to yesterday, just yesterday. The TSA [Deputy Administrator] told lawmakers that their agents have 'received eviction notices, lost their childcare, missed bill payments, and been charged late fees, damaged their credit, defaulted on loans, and have been unable to even qualify for a loan to help ease the financial burden during the shutdown.' That was testimony given yesterday, and it's totally avoidable. That kind of pain should not be inflicted on our federal workers.

...

“We're going to give [Democrats] an opportunity to do the right thing because the American people are sick and tired of it, and they should be. But there's going to be a moment of accountability real soon. In about an hour, America will be able to see who's voting yes to fund these people that are working so hard and who's voting no to keep the chaos going, to keep the long lines going.

“Now, I'd like to say I'm going to read you some good news. I want to read you a quote from Hakeem Jeffries. Madam Speaker, I think this is an important quote that everybody should listen to right now. This is Hakeem Jeffries, and I quote, 'We are here today to do a single job, and that should be to fund fully the Department of Homeland Security. Anything else is an abdication of our responsibility. Anything else is an act of legislative malpractice. We're playing political games at a time when the safety and the security of the American people is being threatened.' That's Hakeem Jeffries, Madam Speaker. Unfortunately, that was Hakeem Jeffries from February of 2015. What happened to that Hakeem Jeffries? How will Hakeem Jeffries of 2026 vote? The previous two times, we know, Madam Speaker, the vote was no. But in 2015, said it would be an act of malpractice to shut this department down.”

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The Leader’s Floor Lookout: Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Here’s what to watch for on the House Floor today:

Making D.C. Safe and Beautiful

Our nation’s capital should set the example of what American cities should look like: clean, safe, and beautiful. Today, House Republicans are bringing legislation to codify and expand on President Trump’s Executive Order 14252, making D.C. the standard of a great American city and a capital the American people can be proud of.

Under the D.C. Council’s years of soft-on-crime policies, Washington, D.C., turned into one of the most dangerous and deadly cities in America, with the fifth-highest murder rate of the nation’s largest cities. In addition to spikes in murder, carjackings, and juvenile delinquency, rising crime has also included increased desecration of D.C.’s public spaces.

Thankfully, President Trump has taken a stand to clean up the streets of our capital and restore law and order through executive action and enhanced federal police presence. With President Trump’s leadership, crime has significantly decreased in D.C. – even Democrat Mayor Muriel Bowser admitted the President’s actions have led to lower crime in the District.

Our legislation would ensure our nation’s capital is clean, safe, and beautiful by enhancing public safety, bolstering law enforcement, cleaning public areas, and restoring monuments.

Rep. John McGuire’s legislation, H.R. 5103, the Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act, establishes a commission to reduce crime in D.C. by providing necessary federal resources and strengthening the Metropolitan Police Department, and tasks the Department of the Interior with creating a program to clean and maintain popular sites in the nation’s capital—including monuments and parks—and to restore damaged federal properties.

Americans deserve a capital that is safe, beautiful, and reflects the greatness of our country. House Republicans are working with President Trump to ensure that’s the case for residents of the District, tourists, and the Americans who come to visit their nation’s capital.