House concurs in Senate amendments to Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 71-48), sending package to the President amid DHS fight
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Summary
After extended debate over Department of Homeland Security operations and ICE funding, the House agreed to a motion to concur in the Senate amendments to H.R. 71-48 by recorded vote; supporters said the bill funds most of government and gives service members a pay raise, opponents said DHS reforms must precede full funding.
The House on Feb. 3 moved to concur in the Senate amendments to H.R. 71-48, the Consolidated Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026, and after floor debate ordered and recorded a roll-call vote on the motion. The motion to concur was offered by Representative Cole of Oklahoma and was debated under the terms established by H. Res. 1032.
Proponents, including Representative Cole and multiple subcommittee chairs, argued the consolidated package provides full-year funding for five of the remaining six appropriations bills, funds defense and other priority accounts, and delivers a 3.8% pay raise for service members. Representative Cole described the package as a bipartisan, bicameral product that protects most federal programs from further disruption.
Opponents — Democrats who objected primarily to the Homeland Security portion of the package — argued that recent enforcement actions by DHS components, including ICE and CBP, involved unlawful conduct and the deaths of two Americans in Minneapolis, and therefore funding should be withheld or conditioned on reforms such as judicial-warrant requirements, unmasking agents, and requiring body-worn cameras. A member identified in debate as Representative McGovern repeatedly said he would vote no on the rule and proposed amendments to repurpose ICE funding toward health care priorities.
The House recorded the electronic vote on the motion to concur; the transcript records the final roll-call as 217 yeas to 214 nays on the motion to concur. Following the vote, several noncontroversial bills were passed by unanimous consent, and the House proceeded to other floor business.
