HRES 1128

Whereas the Department of Homeland Security was established in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, to ensure the safety and security of the United States and its citizens;

Whereas the Department of Homeland Security is comprised of more than 20 Federal agencies with homeland security, public safety, and emergency preparedness missions to integrate and coordinate the efforts of such agencies to protect the United States;

Whereas Department of Homeland Security personnel support critical homeland security missions, with more than 90 percent of the Department’s workforce historically determined to be essential during lapses in appropriations in order that they may continue supporting such missions;

Whereas the Coast Guard plays an essential role in advancing maritime security and rescuing civilians in distress;

Whereas U.S. Customs and Border Protection works to secure air, land, and sea ports of entry by interdicting illicit drugs, weapons, and contraband, and preventing terrorists and other malign actors from entering the United States;

Whereas the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is the primary entity responsible for strengthening cyber resilience for Federal civilian executive branch agencies and protecting critical infrastructure;

Whereas the Federal Emergency Management Agency supports State and local emergency responses to man-made and natural disasters, aids in hazard mitigation, and works to improve domestic resilience;

Whereas U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including through Homeland Security Investigations, ensures the criminal and civil enforcement of Federal immigration law and the disruption of transnational criminal organizations and terrorist networks;

Whereas the United States Secret Service protects national leaders and visiting heads of state, defends the United States financial infrastructure, and safeguards the American public at major national events;

Whereas the Office of Intelligence and Analysis conducts essential information sharing with law enforcement partners across the country to ensure a timely response to identified threats;

Whereas the Transportation Security Administration protects the traveling public and secures the United States transportation systems;

Whereas since the most recent lapse in appropriations, more than 50,000 frontline Transportation Security Administration employees are working without pay, more than 300 Transportation Security Administration employees have resigned, and the rate of unscheduled personnel absences has increased;

Whereas the impact of the most recent lapse in appropriations on Transportation Security Administration personnel and screening efficiency has resulted in drastically increased passenger wait times, travel delays, and overall strain on the transportation security system;

Whereas, on March 1, 2026, a gunman allegedly motivated by extremist ideologies opened fire on a crowd in Austin, Texas, killing two people and injuring several others before being stopped by law enforcement;

Whereas, on March 7, 2026, two suspects with stated allegiance to ISIS attempted to detonate two improvised explosive devices near the New York City Mayor’s residence in Manhattan, New York;

Whereas, on March 12, 2026, an individual rammed his vehicle into the Temple Israel Synagogue in West Bloomfield, Michigan, in an allegedly targeted attack against the Jewish community, causing a fire and injuring on-site security personnel;

Whereas, on March 12, 2026, an active shooter with a prior conviction for attempting to aid ISIS killed one person and injured two others at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, before being subdued by members of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps;

Whereas actors supporting Iran have claimed responsibility for recent cyberattacks against the United States;

Whereas these recent attacks clearly demonstrate that the United States is in a heightened domestic threat environment; and

Whereas the Department of Homeland Security must maintain the capability to defend against threats to the United States: Now, therefore, be it