The Homeland Security and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026, allocates funding for various agencies within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for the fiscal year 2026. This includes funding for departments dealing with management, intelligence, security, and emergency response, but excludes U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Border Patrol. The bill also ensures back pay for federal employees affected by a partial DHS shutdown that occurred due to funding lapses and approves obligations incurred during that shutdown to maintain essential services.
Supporters of the bill highlight its provision for critical funding to maintain national security operations and emergency response capabilities. The funding for agencies like FEMA and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is seen as vital for preparedness and response to disasters and threats. Additionally, the assurance of back pay for affected federal employees has been positively received as a necessary measure to support government workers during shutdowns.
Critics of the bill argue that the exclusion of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Border Patrol reflects a lack of commitment to border security and immigration enforcement. Some media outlets have raised concerns about the implications of funding priorities, suggesting that essential border security operations are being neglected. Additionally, there are worries about the potential for future shutdowns if appropriations are not adequately addressed.
The bill H.R. 7147: Homeland Security and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026 is sponsored by Tom Cole, whose top donor industries are Health Professionals and Retired individuals. There is no direct overlap detected between these industries and the subject matter of the bill, which reduces the potential for conflicts of interest. The total donations from these industries amount to $630,000,000. Lobbying activity in the bill's policy area is diverse, with several entities involved, but none of them are directly linked to the sponsor's top donors. The undisclosed amounts from Northwest Public Power Association and General Atomics, Electromagnetic Systems could be a potential area of concern, but without specific figures, it's hard to assess the risk.
Organizations that lobbied on issues related to this bill's policy area.
| Client | Lobbying Firm | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| PLAINS ALL AMERICAN GP LLC | PLAINS ALL AMERICAN GP LLC | $100,000 |
| FLANDREAU SANTEE SIOUX TRIBE | PEEBLES BERGIN FKA PEEBLES KIDDER | $50,000 |
| UNITED FOOD & COMMERCIAL WORKERS LOCAL 328 | MAYFORTH GROUP, LLC. | $30,000 |
| TOWN OF MIDDLETOWN | MAYFORTH GROUP, LLC. | $16,000 |
| TOWN OF NEW SHOREHAM | MAYFORTH GROUP, LLC. | $13,500 |
| JOHNSON & WALES UNIVERSITY | MAYFORTH GROUP, LLC. | $12,000 |
| UA PLUMBERS & PIPEFITTERS - LOCAL 51 | MAYFORTH GROUP, LLC. | $10,000 |
| COMMON SENSE MEDIA | COMMON SENSE MEDIA | $5,000 |
| NORTHWEST PUBLIC POWER ASSOCIATION | NICOLE CASE | undisclosed |
| GENERAL ATOMICS, ELECTROMAGNETIC SYSTEMS | ALYCIA FARRELL | undisclosed |
| RAND CORPORATION | MERCURY PUBLIC AFFAIRS, LLC | undisclosed |
| THE CORMAC GROUP OBO THE BELL LEGAL GROUP | MR. DANIEL WEISS | undisclosed |
| A16Z CAPITAL MANAGEMENT | STERNHELL GROUP | undisclosed |
| CHROMADEX | POLICY IMPACT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. | undisclosed |
| HORIZONS VENTURES | POLICY IMPACT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. | undisclosed |
Source: Senate Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) filings, 2026
Top industries funding Tom Cole, ranked by total contributions.
Source: OpenSecrets.org (Center for Responsive Politics)