Sponsors (115)
The bill increases transparency, fiscal controls, detainee protections, and some targeted security and operational supports, but does so at the cost of added administrative burden, higher near-term spending, limits on contracting/outsourcing, and reduced flexibility for DHS to reallocate funds or rapidly respond to emergent needs.
Taxpayers, Congress, and the public gain substantially more transparency and external oversight of DHS and related agency spending, contracts, pilots, and acquisitions through new monthly/quarterly reporting, IG reviews, consolidated TSA reports, and advance notifications.
New caps, notice requirements, and limits on intra-/inter-account transfers and reprogrammings protect congressional priorities and promote fiscal discipline by preventing large midyear shifts of funds without committee awareness.
People in DHS custody who are pregnant will face fewer restraints (banned except for narrow safety/medical exceptions), improving detainee health and safety.
Stricter reprogramming bans, transfer prohibitions (including limits on transfers into CBP/ICE accounts), and rescissions reduce DHS's ability to move funds quickly and may hinder rapid responses to emergent threats or shifting operational needs.
Frequent, detailed reporting requirements, advance-notification rules, and harsh financial penalties (e.g., per-day fines for missed publications) create significant administrative burden, can delay contracts/grants/awards/modernization projects, and may divert funds from program delivery.
Pre-notification or notification holds on Treasury Forfeiture Fund transfers and other advance-notice requirements could delay urgent program funding that relies on seized-asset transfers or midyear funding moves.
Based on analysis of 10 sections of legislative text.
Increases DHS/TSA/FEMA financial and acquisition transparency, tightens reprogramming/transfer limits, caps FEMA grant admin at 5%, sets grant timing penalties, and makes USCIS/FLETC administrative changes.
Official title: Making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 11, 2026 by Rosa L. Delauro · Last progress February 11, 2026
Requires DHS and component leaders to provide detailed, regular financial, staffing, acquisition, and procurement transparency to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, with Inspector General reviews and quarterly briefings on major acquisition programs. Imposes stricter reprogramming and transfer limits for DHS funds, sets FEMA grant application and award timelines and administrative caps, adjusts TSA and aviation security funding flexibilities for FY2026, and makes several administrative changes for USCIS and FLETC operations. Also bars congressional and senior executive exemptions from passenger/baggage screening, restricts certain uses of forfeiture and aircraft-travel funds, and adds reporting/briefing requirements tied to capital investment and acquisition oversight. Overall the bill increases oversight and spending controls across DHS, TSA, FEMA, USCIS, and FLETC while imposing procedural penalties for missed grant timelines and tighter limits on reprogramming and administrative spending.