WASHINGTON — Congress will return to Washington on Monday after a two-week recess, facing a backlog of unresolved issues including a prolonged Department of Homeland Security funding lapse, efforts to expel up to four House members, and debate over supplemental funding for military operations in Iran. DHS has been shut down since Feb. 14 after Congress failed to agree on a funding plan, a closure now stretching 58 days.

House Republican leaders agreed to fund all DHS components except Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol through a bipartisan process, while funding those two agencies through a separate, party-line bill. The Senate unanimously approved funding for DHS while excluding funds for ICE and portions of Customs and Border Protection. House Speaker Mike Johnson initially rejected the Senate's plan, and House Republicans advanced an alternate measure to temporarily fund the entire department. House Republicans want the Senate to act on the ICE and Border Patrol bill before they vote on the Senate-passed measure and send it to the president. Democratic members of Congress have said they will withhold their votes for funding ICE and CBP until there are substantial reforms to immigration enforcement.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing payments to all DHS employees during the shutdown. Trump also announced the U.S. Navy will impose a blockade preventing ships from passing through the Strait of Hormuz, saying he is deploying U.S. assets to the region to challenge Iran's control of the waterway. He warned that a whole civilization would die if Iran did not agree to a deal to end the war.

The administration is expected to request between $80 billion and $100 billion in supplemental funding for operations in Iran, down from the Pentagon's initial $200 billion request. A number of Republican members of Congress indicated their support for the war could end if it does not conclude before the 60-day limit under the 1973 War Powers Resolution. Last month, the House voted 212 to 219 to reject a measure limiting the president's war powers on Iran, with four Democrats joining all but two Republicans in the vote. The Senate has defeated multiple war powers resolutions concerning military action in Iran.

"We need a permanent end to Donald Trump's costly and reckless war of choice, and House Democrats are committed to bringing about that outcome," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said. Jeffries added that Democrats are in active discussions with Republican colleagues to secure the additional votes needed to end the Iran war.

On the budget front, Senate Majority Leader John Thune intends to bring a budget resolution to the Senate floor by the end of April to begin the funding process. Senate Republicans plan to use budget reconciliation to bypass a filibuster and advance a party-line budget bill. It remains unclear whether the budget package will include military or war funding.

Separately, House members are pushing to expel up to four members, including Representative Eric Swalwell. Swalwell ended his campaign for governor of California over the weekend after multiple women accused him of sexual assault and misconduct. He said the allegations are false and apologized for mistakes in judgment.