Congress to tackle DHS shutdown, govt. funding, voter ID bill on return

(The Center Square) – After two weeks of recess, Congress returns Monday facing a still-shuttered Homeland Security department and a massive legislative to-do list.

Government shutdown and ICE & CBP funding:

By Monday, the Department of Homeland Security will have operated 55 days without core funding – the longest government shutdown by far in U.S. history.

Democrats are demanding that any annual Homeland Security appropriations bill – which funds ICE, Border Patrol, TSA, FEMA, the Coast Guard, and other agencies – include a laundry list of restrictions on immigration enforcement.

After weeks of failed negotiations, Republican leaders have determined the only way to reopen DHS without folding to Democrats’ demands is to ...