Chairman Garbarino Issues Statement on Vote to Reopen Government, Extend DHS Authorities

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY) issued the following statement on the final passage of the continuing resolution to reopen the federal government and extend critical Department of Homeland Security (DHS) authorities:

"Today, I joined my House Republican colleagues in voting to pass a continuing resolution to fund the federal government, just as we did weeks ago. I am pleased that enough Senate Democrats finally stepped up to do the right thing and end this shutdown, but there is still work to be done to mitigate its cascading effects. For weeks, they allowed political games to undermine our national security and left our nation vulnerable by allowing key DHS authorities to expire, including the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015, the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, and the authority for federal agencies to take down dangerous drones.

"By refusing to vote for House Republicans' clean CR in September, Senate Democrats also forced homeland security personnel to work for weeks without knowing when their next paycheck would come, putting additional stress on DHS components like TSA and causing major disruptions at airports across the country. We owe a debt of gratitude to the dedicated frontline men and women who continued their essential missions for the American people during this shutdown. With the federal government reopening, I look forward to continuing this Committee's important work alongside our colleagues in both the House and Senate to find long-term solutions for reauthorizing these vital DHS authorities, bolster our nation's cyber defenses, maintain President Trump's secure borders, and ensure the safety of America's skies and the traveling public."

Background:

Several DHS authorities expired on September 30, 2025, including Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (CUAS) authorities for federal agencies, the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015, the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (CGP) and Tribal CGP, the National Cybersecurity Protection System, and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Reimbursable Screening Services Program.

Short-term extensions of these critical authorities are necessary for continued work on long-term legislative solutions to move through regular order. In September, the House Committee on Homeland Security unanimously advanced Chairman Garbarino's legislation, the "Widespread Information Management for the Welfare of Infrastructure and Government Act" (WIMWIG Act), which would reauthorize and enhance the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015, a crucial framework for voluntary information sharing between the public and private sectors on cyber threats. The Committee also advanced Rep. Andy Ogles' (R-TN) legislation, the "Protecting Information by Local Leaders for Agency Resilience Act" (PILLAR Act), which would reauthorize and enhance the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) to help state, local, tribal, and territorial governments prepare for and defend against cyber threats.

In August, Chairman Garbarino, Ranking Member Bennie Thompson (D-MS), House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO), Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA), and House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-MD) introduced the bipartisan "Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act of 2025."

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