Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told Newsmax on Monday he is prepared to pursue a backup plan to fund the Department of Homeland Security through budget reconciliation, a move that would bypass Democrats and break from the traditional appropriations process.
"What we have now is mess, murk and mayhem, at least in the Senate," Kennedy told Newsmax congressional correspondent Kilmeny Duchardt.
"It's as bad as I've ever seen it," Kennedy said.
Kennedy said he and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, had initially proposed a two-step plan to reopen the government, accepting Democrats' offer to fund all agencies except Immigration and Customs Enforcement, then using reconciliation to fully fund ICE with Republican votes.
But that approach was scrapped after President Donald Trump signaled he would veto any deal with Democrats.
"The president said no deals, none, zero, zilch, nada with the Democrats," Kennedy said.
As a result, Kennedy said he is now pursuing a "Plan B" that would fund DHS agencies entirely through reconciliation, including ICE, the Secret Service, U.S. Coast Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Transportation Security Administration.
"Let's just do the whole damn thing through reconciliation," he said.
"We don't need a single Democratic vote," he asserted.
The proposal comes as lawmakers face mounting pressure to resolve funding concerns affecting DHS, which has been partially shut down since Feb. 14 over Democrats' demands for changes to the Trump administration's immigration enforcement efforts.
But immigration enforcement operations remain fully funded through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Funding for other DHS components — including FEMA, the Coast Guard, the Secret Service, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and TSA — has lapsed, leaving those agencies operating without new appropriations.
Kennedy pointed to Republicans' prior use of reconciliation to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act with 50 votes and a tie-breaking vote from Vice President JD Vance.
He acknowledged the approach could delay pay for some federal workers, including TSA employees, compared to the earlier bipartisan framework.
"It'll take a little longer," Kennedy said. "We won't get the TSA folks paid as quickly."
Kennedy described ongoing Senate negotiations as chaotic, likening the situation to "the Hindenburg crashing into the Titanic," and accused Democrats of blocking even limited measures to show "shared sacrifice."
He said a proposal to suspend Senate pay during the funding lapse, which had bipartisan support in committee, was blocked on the Senate floor.
"All the Democrats voted for it in committee," Kennedy said. "The Democrats just didn't want to do it."
Under normal procedure, government funding bills originate in the House and require 60 votes in the Senate, effectively necessitating bipartisan support.
Budget reconciliation, however, allows certain fiscal measures to pass with a simple majority.
Still, reconciliation is generally limited to tax and mandatory spending changes, not routine discretionary appropriations such as DHS funding, raising procedural questions about Kennedy's proposal.
Kennedy said any reconciliation package would include offsets, pointing to alleged fraud in Minnesota programs and unspent funding from Biden-era climate initiatives.
"We can pay for it easily," he said.
Kennedy said he is prepared to remain in Washington until a solution is reached.
"I'll stay as long as it takes to get it done," he said. "Government is supposed to create order, not disorder."
GET TODAY NEWSMAX+:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America with more than 30 million people watching!
Reuters Institute reports NEWSMAX is one of the top news brands in the U.S.
You need to watch NEWSMAX today.
Get it with great shows from Rob Schmitt, Greta Van Susteren, Greg Kelly, Carl Higbie, Rob Finnerty – and many more!
Find the NEWSMAX channel on your cable system – Go Here Now
BEST OFFER:
Sign up for NEWSMAX+ and get NEWSMAX, our streaming channel NEWSMAX2 and our military channel World at War.
Find hundreds of shows, movies and specials.
Even get Jon Voight's special series and President Trump's comedy programs and much more!
Watch NEWSMAX+ on your smartphone or home TV app.
Watch NEWSMAX anytime, anywhere!
Start your FREE trial now: NewsmaxPlus.com
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.