U.S. Representative Juan Ciscomani’s Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act passed the House on Mar. 26 with a vote of 218-206, aiming to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security and end its ongoing shutdown.
The legislation comes as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been closed since Feb. 14, leaving many employees without pay for over a month and affecting national security operations. The bill now moves to the U.S. Senate for consideration.
Ciscomani said, “Today, the House took action once again to stand with the men and women who defend our homeland every single day.” He added, “For more than 40 days, DHS personnel have done their jobs without receiving a paycheck because of political games in Washington. That is unacceptable. My Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act ensures that the hardworking men and women at TSA, CISA, Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol, the U.S. Secret Service, FEMA, and the U.S. Coast Guard are paid for the critical work they do to keep Americans safe… I am proud to stand with these men and women who should never be used as leverage in partisan fights…”
House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole said: “Every additional day Democrat leadership allows their shutdown to continue represents more lost paychecks… The Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act reflects a simple choice – do you want to defend national security – or defund it?… This should not be a partisan issue. It is about responsibility… delivering stability for the American people.” Mark Amodei, Chairman of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee also commented: “Withholding pay from DHS employees… are just a few of the consequences Democrats have been willing to risk as part of their anti-deportations messaging battle… This is manufactured chaos… It is our responsibility to ensure every federal agency has the resources it needs…”
The bill covers full funding for agencies including TSA, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Border Patrol, Secret Service, FEMA, and Coast Guard—services that have continued despite employees missing paychecks during this period.
Ciscomani currently serves in Congress representing Arizona’s 6th District after replacing Ann Kirkpatrick in 2023 according to public records. He won his seat by defeating Kirsten Engel in both 2022 as reported by Ballotpedia and again in 2024 according to election results. Born in Hermosillo, Mexico in 1982 and now living in Tucson according to his official biography, Ciscomani graduated from University of Arizona with a BA degree in 2005 as reported by Arizona Alumni Association.
Without passage by the Senate soon, supporters warn that challenges facing DHS will persist along with disruptions for both workers’ livelihoods and national security operations.
