The U.S. Senate has failed for the sixth time to advance legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), prolonging a shutdown that has now entered its 40th day and continues to disrupt airport operations nationwide.
In a 54–46 vote, the measure fell short of the 60 votes required to move forward on Wednesday, March 25, with John Fetterman the only Democrat to support advancing the bill.
The failed vote came after Republicans presented their latest proposal, marking the first test of that offer on the Senate floor. Negotiations between Republicans and Democrats remain deadlocked, with both sides rejecting each other’s proposals.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune dismissed the latest Democratic counteroffer, telling reporters it was “not even close to being real.”
Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have defended their proposal as a workable compromise that pairs DHS funding with reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which remains the central point of contention.
Schumer said the proposal was a “reasonable, good-faith proposal” and insisted Democrats have been consistent in their demands for changes to immigration enforcement policies.
TSA strain reaches critical levels
The impact of the shutdown is increasingly visible at U.S. airports, where staffing shortages have led to record wait times.
Testifying before lawmakers, TSA official Ha Nguyen McNeill warned that the situation has reached unprecedented levels.
“This has led to the highest wait times in TSA history, with some wait times greater than four and a half hours,” McNeill said, adding that the agency has already lost more than 480 officers since the shutdown began.
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She said workforce shortages have forced the consolidation of security lanes and could lead to the closure of smaller airports if staffing levels continue to decline.
McNeill also told lawmakers that TSA workers are facing severe financial strain due to missed paychecks, with some unable to meet basic living expenses.
At the White House, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration believes Democrats are responsible for prolonging the shutdown.
“They’ll ask for something… we’ll give them that concession, and then they say, ‘oh wait, that’s not enough,’” Leavitt said, accusing Democrats of repeatedly shifting their demands during negotiations.
She added that the administration views the ongoing standoff as avoidable, citing multiple Republican proposals that have failed to gain Democratic support.
Meanwhile, the White House has turned down Tesla CEO billionaire Elon Musk’s offer to pay TSA agents’ salaries during the DHS shutdown that affects the airport agents, citing legal reasons. Musk had offered to pay the salaries on Saturday.
“We greatly appreciate Elon’s generous offer. This would pose great legal challenges due to his involvement with federal government contracts,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement.
“The fastest way to ensure TSA employees — and all DHS employees — get paid is for Democrats to fund the Department of Homeland Security.”
Core dispute remains unresolved amid DHS funding crisis
At the center of the impasse is disagreement over funding for ICE, particularly its Enforcement and Removal Operations division.
Republicans have proposed funding most of DHS while excluding certain ICE operations, with the possibility of addressing those components separately.
However, Democrats have rejected that approach, insisting that any funding bill must include reforms such as restrictions on agents wearing masks, judicial warrant requirements, and a formal code of conduct.
Thune said several of those demands were “nonstarters,” adding that some had “never been on the table” during negotiations.
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He did not rule out the possibility of another vote, including on a short-term continuing resolution, but indicated that negotiations may continue without immediate progress.
“Everybody’s going to stare at each other for a little while,” Thune told reporters, suggesting that talks remain at an impasse.
As the shutdown stretches on, pressure is mounting on lawmakers to reach a deal, particularly as operational disruptions at airports intensify, and federal workers continue to go without pay.
GOP lawmakers are expected to bring the measure up again for another vote on Thursday.
