Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act
Summary
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.
Bill status
passed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
House Passage
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
President
Introduced Mar 20, 2026
Last action Apr 2, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
Introduced in House
→
Engrossed in House
·
1 edit
·
Mar 26, 2026
MINOR
The changes between the Introduced and Engrossed versions of HR 8029 are entirely formatting and typographical in nature. Subsections that were previously run together on the same line as their parent section number have been broken out onto separate indented lines, and blank lines were added between sections for readability. No substantive policy, funding, eligibility, or enforcement changes were made.
TECHNICAL
Formatting cleanup throughout Division A administrative provisions (sections 101-230+): subsections (a), (b), etc. were moved from being inline with the section number to their own indented lines, and blank separator lines were added between sections. No substantive text was added, removed, or altered.
Floor votes · House Mar 26, 2026
How they voted
218–206
Passed · 8 other
Total votes 432
Mar 26, 2026
D
Democratic214
96% Nay
I
Independent1
100% Yea
R
Republican217
98% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
16
Key actions
4
Committee
3
Mar 26, 2026
Lower · Passed
On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 218 - 206 (Roll no. 104).
lower
Mar 26, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 218 - 206 (Roll no. 104).
lower
Mar 26, 2026
Lower · Passed
Ms. DeLauro moved to recommit to the Committee on Appropriations. (CR H2750)
lower
Mar 24, 2026
Lower · Passed
Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1131 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 8029, H. Res. 1128, H.R. 5103 and H.R. 7084. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 8029, H. Res. 1128, H.R. 5103, and H.R. 7084 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate on each measure. The resolution provides for one motion to recommit on H.R. 8029, H.R. 5103, and H.R. 7084.
lower
Mar 20, 2026
Committee
Referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
lower
Mar 20, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Juan Ciscomani
RRepublican
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