The Legislative Update

March 24, 2026

Seth Jacobson

Mar 24, 2026

FLOOR ACTION

House

The House may take up a War Powers Resolution in the coming days, per press reports, but the details (date, bill number, etc.) are not yet available. Otherwise, the chamber likely focuses on non-defense legislation.
Press reports yesterday suggested a breakthrough on DHS funding, but it remains unclear what form such a bill could take or whether or when such a bill could reach the House floor. The Department of Homeland Security is the only government department currently unfunded and partially shut down, meaning that only essential DHS operations are functioning, and employees that are working are going unpaid. (See Senate section for more.)
Other press reports suggest that an anticipated vote on a bill to extend certain foreign intelligence surveillance and collection authorities is not likely to happen before the upcoming break next week. The current authorities, commonly referred to as “FISA Section 702,” or just “Section 702,” expire April 20th, pursuant to P.L. 110–261 (as amended). The House would return with a short window of time in which to pass such legislation, leaving even less time for the Senate to consider the bill.

Senate

Last week, the Senate rejected a War Powers resolution in a procedural vote on a motion to discharge the joint resolution from committee (S.J.Res. 118). The chamber may consider a similar motion on a similar resolution this evening (S.J.Res. 116). The Senate rejected a similar motion on a similar resolution earlier this month.
Last night, the Senate confirmed Sen. Markwayne Mullin as Secretary, DHS.
Press reports today indicate that a breakthrough on DHS funding may be falling apart in the Senate. Furthermore, it is unclear what form such a bill could take if it did reach the Senate floor. The Department of Homeland Security is the only government department currently unfunded and partially shut down, meaning that only essential DHS operations are functioning, and employees that working are going unpaid.

UPCOMING HEARINGS

DoD Witnesses:

House:

Appropriations - Military Construction, VA, & Related Agencies
Mar. 25 @ 10:00 a.m., “FY27 Budget: Servicemember Quality of Life”
Witnesses:
SMA Michael Wiemer, Sgt. Major of the Army
MCPO John Perryman, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
SMMC Carlos Ruiz, Sgt. Major, Marines
CMSAF David Wolfe, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force
CMSSF John Bentivenga, Chief Master Sgt., Space Force

Armed Services - Strategic Forces
Mar. 25 @ 3:00 p.m., “FY27 Budget: National Security Space Programs”
Witnesses:
Marc Berkowitz, ASD(Space)
Thomas Ainsworth, PTDO Asst. Sec., Space Acquisition & Integration, Air Force
Brett Markham, Dep. Dir., NGA

Armed Services - Cyber, Information Technologies, & Innovation
Mar. 26 @ 3:30 p.m., “FY27 Budget: DoD Information Technology”
Witness: Kirsten Davies, CIO, DoD

Senate:

Armed Services
Mar. 25 @ 3:00 p.m., “FY27 Budget: STRATCOM/SPACECOM”
Witnesses:
ADM Richard Correll, Navy, Cmdr., STRATCOM
Gen Stephen Whiting, Space Force, Cmdr., SPACECOM

Other Hearings of Interest:

House:

Foreign Affairs
Mar. 25 @ 10:00 a.m., “Arms Control & Int’l. Security”
Witness: Thomas DiNanno, Under Sec., Arms Control & Int’l. Security, State Dept.

Homeland Security
Mar. 25 @ 10:00 a.m., “The Impact of a DHS Shutdown”
Witnesses:
Ha Nguyen McNeill, PTDO Admin., TSA
Nick Andersen, A/Dir., Cyber Security & Infrastructure Security Agency, DHS
Gregg Phillips, Associate Admin., FEMA
ADM Thomas Allen, Vice Cmdt., Coast Guard

Foreign Affairs - Western Hemisphere
Mar. 27 @ 11:00 a.m., “Latin America after Maduro”
Witness: Michael Kozak, Sr. Bureau Official, Western Hemisphere, State Dept.

Senate: None.

NOTES

Appropriations: DHS (FY26), FY27, & Potential for Iran emergency supplemental

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) remains shut down for lack of funding. In practice, many DHS agencies continue to operate, but essential staff is working without pay. Negotiations appear to be at a standstill.
Per U.S. law, the President’s FY27 Budget request (PB) was due to Congress the first Monday of February (31 USC § 1105). The annual PB is often late, sometimes by months. Given that Congress has not yet finalized the FY26 budget, and the history of late submissions, it should not be surprising that the FY27 PB is late this year. However, the later it gets, the more likely it becomes that Congress will attempt to pass some kind of continuing resolution. According to press reports, the White House plans to release the FY27 PB around the end of March.
According to press reports, the White House may seek up to $200B in emergency supplemental funding for the Iran conflict.
FY27 Appropriations totals, especially for Defense, are currently unpredictable. The Administration has suggested it will request as much as $1.5T for Defense, and this may require a “Reconciliation” package, due to the Senate’s rules and the current political environment, especially when it comes to issues surrounding DHS operations and the Iran conflict. However, the success of a reconciliation effort is not assured, and it remains to be seen whether or not congressional leaders are willing to take such an approach. This is something worth monitoring.

Important Dates:

Feb. 2 - POTUS FY27 Budget request due to Congress (per 31 USC § 1105); (now overdue)
Mar. 30-Apr. 10 - Congress break
Apr. 20 - FISA Sec. 702 Authorities expire