H.R. 8029

Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act

Sponsor: Juan Ciscomani · 0 cosponsors

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Official summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service.

Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act

This bill provides appropriations to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for the remainder of FY2026. It also ends the partial DHS shutdown that began on February 14, 2026, because the continuing resolution (CR) that was funding DHS expired and a regular FY2026 DHS appropriations bill had not been enacted. 

Specifically, the bill provides appropriations to DHS for Departmental Management, Intelligence, Situational Awareness, and Oversight, including

  • the Office of the Secretary and Executive Management;
  • the Management Directorate;
  • Intelligence, Analysis, and Situational Awareness; and
  • the Office of Inspector General.

In addition, the bill provides appropriations for Security, Enforcement, and Investigations, including

  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection,
  • U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,
  • the Transportation Security Administration,
  • the U.S. Coast Guard, and
  • the U.S. Secret Service.

The bill provides appropriations for Protection, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery, including

  • the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and
  • the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The bill provides appropriations for Research, Development, Training, and Services, including

  • U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services,
  • the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, and
  • the Science and Technology Directorate.

The bill also authorizes back pay, in accordance with current law, for federal employees who were affected by the partial DHS shutdown.

Finally, the bill ratifies and approves certain obligations that were incurred during the partial DHS shutdown, including obligations incurred to maintain the essential level of activity to protect life and property and bring about an orderly termination of government functions.

Text of the bill

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A Department of Homeland Security Appropriations

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Sec. 237. Since introduced

(a) Section 118 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 2001 (5 U.S.C. 5547 note) is amended, in the first sentence, by inserting (or, for 2024, to the extent that such aggregate amount would exceed the per annum rate of salary payable under section 104 of title 3, United States Code) before the period at the end.

(b) Subsection (a) shall take effect as if enacted on December 31, 2023.

(c) Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter through 2028, the Director shall submit to the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate; the Committee on Homeland Security, the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives; and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate of Congress a report describing the steps that the United States Secret Service is taking to address the increased protective service demands placed upon United States Secret Service personnel.

(d) Each report required under subparagraph (c) shall include the following:

(1) An analysis of the current (as of the date on which the report is submitted) operational demands and staffing levels with respect to the United States Secret Service.

(2) Recommended strategies for reducing overtime requirements for United States Secret Service personnel, including—

(A) the appointment of additional personnel;

(B) solutions such that sufficient resources are available throughout each year without the need for exceptions to, or waivers of, premium pay limitations;

(C) the redistribution of workload among United States Secret Service personnel; and

(D) other improvements in operational efficiency with respect to the United States Secret Service.

(e) Within the reports required under paragraphs (3) and (4) of section 2(c) of the Overtime Pay for Protective Services Act of 2023 (Public Law 118–38; 138 Stat. 13) that are submitted after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall include information about—

(1) the average number of overtime hours and range of number of overtime hours completed by United States Secret Service personnel receiving premium pay above the pay limitation in subsection (a) of section 5547 of title 5, United States Code; and

(2) the average number of overtime hours and range of number of overtime hours completed by United States Secret Service personnel who are not fully compensated for their overtime because their premium pay would be above the pay limitation in section 2 of the Overtime Pay Protection Act of 2016 (5 U.S.C. 5547 note).

(f) The matter preceding the first proviso under the heading United States Secret Service—Operations and Support in division C of Public Law 118–47 shall be applied to funds appropriated by this Act by substituting $40,000,000 for $24,000,000 and substituting 2024 for 2023.

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B Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026