Committee Approves FY25 Homeland Security Appropriations Act

Washington, D.C. – Today, the House Appropriations Committee met to consider the Fiscal Year 2025 Homeland Security Appropriations Act. The measure was approved by the Committee with a vote of 33 to 26.

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  Homeland Security Subcommittee Chairman Mark Amodei (R-NV) said, “Republicans don’t want to continue to fund the status quo, which is why this bill invests in tried-and-true methods of securing the border that the men and women in the field are asking for. This legislation funds the core responsibilities of the Department that protects the Homeland while ensuring we act as good stewards of taxpayer dollars. I am glad we are one step closer to getting this bill across the finish line and thank Chairman Cole for his leadership.”

Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) said, “Today’s bill reflects a commitment to keeping Americans safe and secure. We’ve invested in the brave men and women who help safeguard our nation each day and bolstered port, maritime, aviation, and cyber defenses. We combat the Biden Administration’s failed border policies that have unleashed chaos and encouraged illegal crossings. This FY25 bill sustains our frontline Border Patrol agents at their highest level ever—and focuses resources to build the wall, remove dangerous criminals, and stop the spread of poisonous fentanyl. Chairman Amodei ensured every taxpayer dollar was directed to shield our communities and secure our borders. A vote for this bill supports the protection of our homeland.”

Subcommittee Chairman Amodei’s opening remarks (for the record) are available here.

Chairman Cole's opening remarks (for the record) are available here.

Fiscal Year 2025 Homeland Security Appropriations Act

The Homeland Security Act provides a total discretionary allocation of $64.81 billion. The defense portion of the allocation is $3.41 billion, which is $82 million (2.41%) above the Fiscal Year 2024 enacted level. The non-defense portion of the allocation is $61.39 billion, which is $2.88 billion (4.92%) above the FY24 enacted level and $4.27 billion (7.48%) above the President’s Budget Request. 

The bill utilizes $6.12 billion in discretionary appropriations offset by fee collections and $22.74 billion as an allocation adjustment for major disaster response and recovery activities.

Key Takeaways

• Secures our southern border by: 
  • Providing $600 million for construction of the southern border wall.
  • Forcing Secretary Mayorkas to adhere to the law and build physical barriers immediately.
  • Ensuring wall funding can only be used to build physical barriers by attaching stricter conditions and shorter timelines to put the funds on contract.
  • Sustaining funding for 22,000 Border Patrol agents.
  • Providing $300 million for border security technology.
• Removes dangerous criminals by:
  • Providing $4.1 billion for custody operations, which is more than ever previously appropriated, to fund an average daily ICE detainee population of 50,000.
  • Providing $822 million to fund transportation and removal operations for removable aliens.
• Counters China and bolsters national security by:
  • Providing $335 million to procure four additional Coast Guard Fast Response Cutters.
  • Providing $60 million for a service life extension to enable the Coast Guard to deploy another Medium Endurance Cutter to the Indo-Pacific. 
  • Providing $4.2 million for increased maritime engagements with allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific. 
  • Encouraging federal, state, local, and private sector partners to replace communications technology from companies designated as a national security risk. 
• Focuses the Department on its core responsibilities by: 
  • Preventing the Department from carrying out its equity action plan or advancing critical race theory. 
  • Rejecting funding for electric vehicles and related infrastructure, saving $30 million.
  • Preventing the consolidation of the Department’s Headquarters, saving $186.7 million.
  • Rejecting funding requested by the Biden Administration that encourages more illegal migration, such as:
    • The Shelter and Services Program for migrants, $650 million less than the Fiscal Year 2024 enacted level.
    • The Case Management Pilot Program for migrants, $20 million less than the Fiscal Year 2024 enacted level.
  • Eliminating the duplicative Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman, saving $28.6 million from the Fiscal Year 2024 enacted level.
  • Excluding the Administration’s $4.7 billion southwest border contingency slush fund that would provide funds to process and release more aliens into the country. 
• Supports American values and principles by:
  • Prohibiting the government from labeling Americans’ constitutionally protected speech as “misinformation” and imposing a penalty of termination for such action.
  • Prohibiting funding for providing or facilitating abortions for ICE detainees. 
  • Prohibiting gender-affirming care, including hormone therapy and surgery, for ICE detainees. 

A summary of the bill is available here.

During the markup, Committee Republicans rejected amendments offered by the Democrats that would have:

• Prevented border wall construction.
• Repealed a provision that forces Secretary Mayorkas to adhere to the law and build physical barriers along the southwest border.
• Allowed funding for the controversial CBP One Mobile application.  
• Prevented coordination between federal, state, and local entities to remove dangerous criminals through 287(g).
• Provided legal services to illegal aliens.
• Facilitated the transportation of illegal aliens into the interior of the United States.
• Allowed tax-payer dollars to be used for abortions for illegal aliens.
• Allowed funding for hormone therapies or surgeries for gender-affirming care for illegal aliens.
• Provided physical identification cards to illegal aliens.
• Limited where ICE can conduct enforcement actions.
• Allowed illegal aliens whose asylum claims have been denied or have been convicted of a crime to be authorized to work.
• Created unnecessary immigration detention standards.
• Allowed individuals who travel through multiple countries to seek asylum in the United States.
• Allowed funds to be used to label Americans’ constitutionally protected speech as “misinformation,” “disinformation,” and “malinformation.”
• Funded polarizing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
• Exposed Americans to religious discrimination.

Adopted Amendments

• Amodei (Manager’s Amendment) - Makes technical, bipartisan changes to the bill and report.
  • The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
• Fleischmann #1 – Prohibits ICE from unilaterally closing detention facilities that provide value to the immigration detention network, such as Family Residential Centers.
  • The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
• Underwood #1 – Prohibits DHS from charging a co-pay for contraception for Coast Guard members and their dependents.
  • The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
• Harris #1 – Increases the H-2B temporary non-agricultural worker cap and mandatory visa issuance.
  • The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
• Underwood #2 – Allows DHS to provide a year-long prescription for contraception for Coast Guard members and their dependents.
  • The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
• Newhouse #1 – Expands the H-2A agricultural worker visa to allow non-seasonal industries to access the program.
  • The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
• Gonzales #1 – Prioritizes ICE funding for repatriation flights and other removal operations.
  • The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
• Newhouse #2 – Prohibits USCIS from charging an “Asylum Program Fee” or surcharge for U.S. companies on their visa applications for employees.
  • The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
• Cloud #1 – Prohibits funds for sanctuary cities.
  • The amendment was adopted by voice vote.

Bill text, before adoption of amendments, is available here.

Bill report, before adoption of amendments, is available here.

A table of included Community Project Funding requests is available here.

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