Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act

Key Points

• This bill funds the entire Department of Homeland Security for fiscal year 2026, including $17.7 billion for Customs and Border Protection, $10 billion for ICE, $10.6 billion for the TSA, and $11.2 billion for the Coast Guard. It also ratifies back pay for federal workers who worked during a recent government funding lapse.
• FEMA receives $26.3 billion for disaster relief, $684 million for firefighter grants, $300 million for nonprofit security grants, $123.5 million for emergency food and shelter, and $297 million for flood hazard mapping. These grants support communities across the country for disaster preparedness and emergency response.
• The bill bans new border crossing fees for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers at northern and southern land ports of entry, and prohibits CBP from even studying such a fee. It also allocates $20 million for body-worn cameras for border enforcement agents.
• Air traffic controllers would receive a 3.8% pay raise for 2026, funded with $140 million, but only if the FAA Administrator determines that improvements in scheduling and staffing efficiency have been achieved. The raise would be retroactive to the first pay period after January 1, 2026.
• The bill requires strict protections for pregnant women in DHS custody, banning the use of restraints except in narrow circumstances, and never during active labor. It also blocks funding for detention facilities that fail to meet performance standards.
• The Coast Guard receives $98 million for MQ-9 surveillance drones and related equipment, but the bill strictly bans equipping any long-range unmanned aircraft with weapons. Members of Congress and top officials would also be required to go through TSA passenger screening like everyone else.