Fate of DHS funding uncertain as US Congress Republicans decide next steps

By Richard Cowan ‌and David Morgan

WASHINGTON, ​April ​2 (Reuters) - Federal funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security remained in limbo on Thursday ‌despite the Senate clearing the way for the ⁠House of Representatives to pass legislation that would end a nearly ‌seven-week partial shutdown.

The measure ‌provides no additional funding for immigration law enforcement activities that already are robustly funded.

The House held a brief ​session without acting upon the legislation that was passed by the Senate late last week.

The House is ⁠next scheduled to meet on Monday.

House Speaker Mike Johnson was scheduled to hold ​a call with his rank-and-file later on Thursday to discuss next steps.

Senate Majority Leader John ​Thune, speaking to a near-empty ‌chamber, cleared the way for progress on ending the DHS funding fight by killing a ⁠60-day, stopgap bill that had been passed by the House but had no chance of getting enough support to pass ⁠the Senate.

The Senate ignored that bill on Friday and began a ​recess that telegraphed its opposition to the measure.

Meantime, Senate and House Republican leaders announced on Wednesday that they had reached a ‌deal to finally end the DHS shutdown. But it was unclear whether House Republican rank-and-file ‌would support that agreement.

House passage of the Senate bill ⁠would send it to ‌President Donald Trump ​for signing into law.

(Reporting by Richard Cowan and David Morgan; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Chizu ‌Nomiyama)

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