House Homeland Security Appropriations Bill Advances After Contentious Subcommittee Markup

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security voted to report its fiscal 2026 Homeland Security appropriations draft to the full committee after opening statements that sharply divided members over funding priorities for the Department of Homeland Security.

Representative Underwood, the subcommittee ranking member from Illinois, opened the markup with a broad critique of the bill’s priorities, saying the draft “does nothing to protect Americans from being targeted” and warning it would allow immigration enforcement actions that she described as violating due process and civil liberties. She also criticized proposed reductions to cybersecurity and emergency management staffing, saying the bill “abandons our neighbors after a crisis” and noting the draft cuts roughly $130,000,000 to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and $93,000,000 to FEMA personnel.

The ranking member of the full committee, Representative DeLauro of Connecticut, echoed those concerns and said she opposed the bill. DeLauro criticized proposed cuts to cyber and…