Oregon — U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum (D-OR-05) voted against a House Republican-backed resolution to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), highlighting sharp partisan divisions over immigration enforcement and federal funding priorities.
The bill, titled the Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act (H.R. 8029), would provide appropriations for DHS operations through the remainder of fiscal year 2026 and end a partial shutdown that began in February. The legislation includes funding for agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Coast Guard, FEMA, Customs and Border Protection, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said the House passed the measure with bipartisan support but emphasized that most Democrats opposed it.
“For the third time now, almost every Democrat in the House except for four voted against the bipartisan… funding bill,” Johnson said, arguing the vote jeopardizes airport security, disaster response, and national safety.
Johnson accused Democrats of prioritizing immigration policy concerns over core government functions, stating the legislation would “reopen DHS and get our airports running again.”
Bynum defended her vote, citing concerns over federal immigration enforcement agencies.
“I’m all for funding the TSA, the Coast Guard, and FEMA, but I won’t send another dollar to ICE without major reforms,” Bynum said in a statement. She criticized U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, alleging misconduct and a lack of accountability.
Bynum also pointed to an alternative Senate-passed proposal that she said would have funded DHS operations without including funding for ICE and Customs and Border Protection.
The dispute underscores broader tensions in Congress over immigration enforcement, federal spending, and the scope of DHS authority, as lawmakers continue to negotiate a path forward to fully restore agency funding.
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