Vought warns senators that DHS is 'disintegrating' because of funding lapse

Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought warned senators Thursday that the Department of Homeland Security is "disintegrating" because Congress still has not ended the department's two-month partial government shutdown.

Funding for the department lapsed in February after Senate Democrats refused to help pass an appropriations bill that would fund DHS for the remainder of the current fiscal year, which ends in September.

Vought told senators on the Senate Budget Committee that he and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin are having to scramble to keep employees paid enough to stop them from quitting, according to The Hill.

“There is no money for the entirety of the Department of Homeland Security,” Vought said. “As of right now, the Department of Homeland Security is disintegrating because the secretary and I are having to figure out ways to temporarily fund people’s paychecks so we don’t have people quit and embark on new careers." 

The shutdown greatly impacted Transportation Security Administration workers during a busy travel period, but President Donald Trump instructed OMB and DHS last month to use funds that have a reasonable "nexus" to TSA operations to provide employees with the compensation and benefits they would have received without the shutdown.  

The director said the department is temporarily using funds from the One Big Beautiful Bill to cover DHS employees' salaries, so that there is no major walkout.

Vought also said that all offices within the DHS are still unfunded, including disaster relief funds within the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which leaves the country vulnerable to natural disasters.

“As we draw down that [disaster relief] fund, we are not prepared for a natural disaster from a funding standpoint,” he said.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.