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Congress Returns to Session with Iran Funding, DHS Shutdown, and Expulsion Votes on Agenda

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Legislative Agenda: Iran Funding, DHS Shutdown, and Potential Expulsions

U.S. lawmakers have returned to Washington after a two-week recess to address several major legislative items. The agenda includes a supplemental funding request for military operations related to Iran, a plan to end a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, and potential votes to expel multiple members of the House of Representatives.

Iran Conflict and War Powers

Military Developments: A two-week ceasefire in the conflict with Iran is currently in effect. President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. Navy will impose a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz.

Funding Request: The White House is expected to request between $80 billion and $100 billion in supplemental funding for the conflict, according to a report in The Washington Post. Some sources note this figure is a reduction from an initial $200 billion mentioned last month.

Congressional Action: Democratic leaders in both the House and Senate have announced plans to force votes on measures aimed at limiting presidential authority to conduct further military action in Iran.

  • House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries stated that Democrats are in discussions with some Republicans to gain support for such measures.
  • Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced the Senate will hold another vote on a war powers resolution, arguing that Congress must reassert its authority.

Previous Votes: A previous House vote on a measure to limit war powers regarding Iran failed with a vote of 212 to 219. The Senate has also defeated multiple similar resolutions in the past.

Department of Homeland Security Funding

Shutdown Status: The Department of Homeland Security has been partially shut down since February 14 due to a lapse in congressional funding.

Senate Plan: The Senate unanimously approved a funding bill for DHS that excluded funds for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and parts of Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Bipartisan Agreement: House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune announced an agreement to fund DHS using the Senate's initial plan while pursuing additional funding for immigration enforcement through a separate legislative process known as budget reconciliation.

House Consideration: The Senate has taken a procedural step to advance the funding bill to the House for consideration. Some House Republicans have stated they will oppose the funding plan until the reconciliation process for immigration enforcement is complete.

Budget Reconciliation for Immigration Enforcement

Process: Senate Republicans plan to use the budget reconciliation process to advance funding for ICE and CBP. This process allows legislation to pass the Senate without requiring support from Democrats.

Timeline: Senate Majority Leader John Thune stated the Senate would move quickly on this, facing a reported deadline of June 1.

Statements: A post on the social media platform Truth Social attributed to former President Donald Trump stated the reconciliation process is "ON TRACK."

Potential Member Expulsions

Multiple members of the House of Representatives face potential expulsion votes.

  • Representative Eric Swalwell: Republican Representative Anna Paulina Luna of Florida announced she intends to force a vote to expel Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell of California, following sexual assault allegations against him. Swalwell has denied the allegations. Some sources note he has suspended his campaign for California governor.
  • Representative Tony Gonzales: Democrats are expected to counter with a vote to expel Republican Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas. Gonzales admitted last month to having an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide. He has dropped his reelection bid but has not resigned from Congress.
  • Other Members: Lawmakers are also considering expulsion votes targeting Republican Representative Cory Mills and Democratic Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, both of Florida.

Expulsion Process: Expulsion from the House requires a two-thirds majority vote. An investigation by the House Ethics Committee typically precedes such action but is not formally required.

Additional Legislative Business

House Speaker Mike Johnson faces a deadline this week to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.