Story ID: 
DHS Shutdown Looms
By: Kerry Lynch
Caption: Senate action on bill expected today, but House and Senate lawmakers have been at impasse.
Word Count: 188
Congress is facing a February 27 deadline to overcome its impasse over the Fiscal Year 2015 homeland security appropriations bill, or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will be forced to furlough 30,000 of its estimated 230,000 employees. Most critical functions—including U.S. Customs and Border Patrol inspection and clearance activities, along with Transportation Security Administration airline pasenger screening—would continue during a shutdown. However, those employees would work without pay. Other employees, including most administrative and headquarter staffs at DHS, would be furloughed and activities such as training would halt.

Lawmakers late last year approved funding for the DHS only through February 27 in protest against the Obama Administration’s policies on immigration. The House in January approved its version of a full-year FY2015 homeland security funding bill but included a controversial measure addressing the immigration policy. The White House has threatened to veto the bill and Senate Democrats have moved to block consideration of any such bill. The Senate is expected to consider a DHS funding bill without the controversial measure today, but it still must reach an agreement with House lawmakers over the immigration measure.