Senate reaches deal to advance funding ahead of shutdown deadline

The Senate agreed to remove the Homeland Security funding bill from a six-bill package, advance five spending bills, and extend DHS funding at current levels for two weeks while talks continue on ICE reforms; the House is not set to return until Monday, making a short lapse possible.

The Senate reached an agreement Thursday to move forward with most government funding bills while separate talks continue on reforms to immigration enforcement following a recent Minneapolis shooting. Lawmakers removed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) bill from a broader six-bill package and agreed to extend DHS funding at current levels for two weeks. The deal was reported after Democrats blocked the package earlier and after party leaders outlined specific demands on ICE practices. The White House signaled support, with President Trump urging bipartisan approval on social media. What we know: - The Senate plans to take up five of the six appropriations bills now, covering agencies such as the Pentagon and the State Department. - The DHS funding bill was taken out of the package and DHS will be funded at current levels for a two-week continuing resolution, according to a Senate Democratic source. - Funding for the six-bill group is set to lapse at 12 a.m. Saturday, and the House is not scheduled to return until Monday, so a short funding lapse is likely to occur. The Office of Management and Budget may choose how to respond over the weekend. - Democrats had blocked the package earlier after the shooting in Minneapolis and sought to separate DHS because of concerns about Immigration and Customs Enforcement practices. - Senate leaders and negotiators, including Senate Democratic leadership, reported that talks will continue on reforms to ICE and DHS operations; reported proposals outlined by Democrats include changes to patrol practices, warrant rules, body cameras and a uniform code of conduct for federal agents. Summary: The agreement moves most spending bills forward while carving out DHS funding so negotiators can pursue reforms to immigration enforcement. The two-week DHS extension gives senators time to work on those reforms, but the package will need to clear the House when it returns, so a brief lapse in funding is likely. Undetermined at this time.