Good afternoon! The Senate cleared a reconciliation bill early Friday, providing nearly $70 billion for immigration enforcement after an 18-hour vote-a-rama, while an attempt to reauthorize a key foreign surveillance program stalled ahead of its June 12 deadline. Over in the House, Appropriations subcommittees advanced 3 Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 spending bills, the Armed Services Committee approved a nearly $1.15 trillion defense authorization bill, and the full chamber passed a Russia sanctions and Ukraine aid package. At the White House this week, President Trump named a new acting director of national intelligence and signed an executive order on artificial intelligence.
WHITE HOUSE
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On Monday, President Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to create a voluntary oversight framework for advanced artificial intelligence models. The order, “Promoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security,” is the most significant federal AI policy since the revocation of a Biden-era safety order in January 2025. Developers will be encouraged to submit new models to Treasury, the National Security Agency (NSA), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) for review up to 30 days before public release. The framework is voluntary and aims to identify and address security vulnerabilities without imposing regulatory requirements on AI development.
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On Tuesday, President Trump named Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence, succeeding Tulsi Gabbard, who will step down at the end of June. Pulte will continue to lead FHFA and has no publicly known background in intelligence. Senate Majority Leader John Thune stated he will seek additional information before considering a permanent nomination, noting that Pulte faces significant challenges ahead. The director of national intelligence oversees 18 agencies and delivers the president’s daily intelligence briefing.
- On Friday, a federal judge struck down several Administration immigration policies enacted in the wake of a deadly attack on two National Guard members last November. U.S. District Judge John McConnell found these policies, which halted immigration benefits for nationals of 39 countries, suspended asylum processing, and ordered a review of Biden-era benefits, to be unlawful. The 135-page ruling directs immigration agencies to resume processing applications, reschedule canceled naturalization ceremonies, and address the risks faced by immigrants on time-limited visas.
SENATE
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Early Friday, the Senate approved a nearly $70 billion reconciliation bill to fund immigration enforcement for the remainder of President Trump’s term, while rejecting efforts to limit a Justice Department “anti-weaponization” fund. The measure passed 52-47, with Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) as the only Republican voting with Democrats in opposition. The vote followed 18 hours of debate before wrapping up early this morning.
- On Friday, the Senate voted 52-47 against advancing a House-passed three-year reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), increasing the likelihood of a short-term extension or lapse before the June 12 deadline. Bipartisan negotiations on a Senate agreement broke down after President Trump appointed Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) was the only Democrat to support the bill, while seven Republicans voted against it. The Senate is expected to revisit the measure next week. Section 702 allows the collection of foreign intelligence communications targeting non-U.S. persons overseas.
HOUSE
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On Friday, the House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee approved its FY27 budget, allocating $93.3 billion in total. Funding includes $18.3 billion for CBP, $10.1 billion for ICE, $11.3 billion for TSA, $14.6 billion for the Coast Guard, and $2.4 billion for CISA. The full committee will mark up this bill next Wednesday.
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Late Thursday, the House Armed Services Committee approved its annual defense authorization bill (H.R. 8800) – the National Defense Authorization Act or NDAA – by a 44-12 vote after 14 hours of debate and consideration of about 900 amendments. H.R. 8800 authorizes nearly $1.15 trillion in defense spending, with some funds subject to further approval in the appropriations process. The full House is expected to consider this bill before the chamber recesses in August, while Senate Armed Services subcommittee markups are scheduled to begin next week.
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On Friday, the House Appropriations Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee approved its FY27 funding bill by an 11-7 party-line vote. The measure allocates $201.8 billion for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, representing a 9% decrease from the FY26 enacted level of $221 billion. The full committee will mark up this bill next Tuesday.
- On Thursday, the House passed a bill imposing sanctions on Russia and providing aid to Ukraine. The legislation includes Ukraine security assistance, military financing, Baltic defense, Ukraine reconstruction, a 100% tax on income from Russian sovereign assets, and sanctions on individuals involved in the war. Supporters of this bill secured the 218 signatures required on their discharge petition after Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) declined to schedule the bill for a vote on the House floor. The bill’s prospects in the Senate remain uncertain, as a companion measure from Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has stalled, and any Senate-passed bill would likely face a presidential veto.
