Thune to Press Fractious GOP to Back Narrow DHS Funding Plan

Senate Majority Leader John Thune on Thursday, March 26, 2026. Photographer: Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he will push fellow Republicans to accept narrowly focused legislation to end the record-long funding lapse at the Department of Homeland Security and shelve demands for other priorities.

Thune’s move, coming as Congress returns to Washington after a two-week spring break, adds momentum to a two-step Republican plan to end the longest partial government shutdown in history. DHS funding officially lapsed two months ago, on Feb. 14.