Sponsor
Mark E. Amodei
Representative · R-NV
Representative · R-NV
The bill shifts DHS toward much greater congressional oversight, budget discipline, and targeted funding for border and disaster programs—improving transparency and some operational supports—while imposing new administrative controls and policy restrictions that may slow responses, raise costs, and tighten immigration and programmatic flexibility.
Taxpayers and Congress gain much stronger transparency and control over DHS spending and acquisitions through monthly budget/staffing reports, acquisition disclosures, reprogramming limits, and required briefings, improving oversight and reducing opportunities for unchecked transfers.
Border-management agencies, border communities, and planners get sustained funding and better data—additional CBP appropriations/procurement funds plus a requirement for validated monthly border arrival estimates—to support inspections, staffing, and resource allocation.
State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments and first responders receive faster, more focused FEMA grant delivery and more mitigation funding via shorter application timelines, caps that leave more dollars for frontline activities, transfer authority into predisaster mitigation and flood mapping, and SAFER/AFG waiver flexibility.
DHS finance, acquisition, and program staff — and contractors — will face substantially higher administrative burdens and compliance work from monthly reports, acquisition disclosures, advance briefing/posting rules, and shortened grant timelines, which could slow procurement and distract staff from operations.
Tighter reprogramming limits, notification requirements for transfers (including from forfeiture funds), and other advance-approval constraints reduce DHS's financial and operational flexibility, potentially slowing urgent responses to emergent border, disaster, or security needs.
Noncitizens, asylum seekers, and transit migrants face tougher immigration enforcement and reduced due process protections—restrictions on credible-fear/asylum determinations, mandatory GPS monitoring for some cases, work-authorization bans for certain asylum applicants, and requirements that may bar asylum claims—raising serious rights and liberty concerns.
Based on analysis of 10 sections of legislative text.
Sets FY2026 DHS funding with stricter acquisition and budget reporting, CBP funding/fee rules, USCIS processing limits, and FEMA grant and fee adjustments.
Official title: Making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes.
Introduced June 26, 2025 by Mark E. Amodei
Provides FY2026 funding controls, reporting, and program rules for the Department of Homeland Security and related agencies while adding targeted appropriations and policy riders that affect Customs and Border Protection, USCIS, FEMA, and other DHS components. It tightens acquisition and budget transparency, changes grant and fee rules for FEMA, authorizes specific CBP funding adjustments and passenger-fee treatment, and places limits on certain immigration benefit processing and H‑1B petition consideration. Requires new monthly and quarterly financial and acquisition briefings to Appropriations Committees, reporting on non‑competitive awards and transfers from the Treasury Forfeiture Fund, and imposes reprogramming and transfer limits for DHS accounts in FY2026. It also includes programmatic provisions for FEMA grants, radiological preparedness fees, and USCIS vehicle acquisition and fee-use exceptions for one year.