Assembly Joint ResolutionIntroduced
AJR 28: The United States Department of Homeland Security: funding.
What AJR 28 does, verified March 8, 2026
The bill urges the US Senate, particularly its Democratic members, to prioritize national security and the safety of American citizens by passing the House-approved funding bill for the United States Department of Homeland Security. This measure aims to ensure that TSA, US Coast Guard, and FEMA staff have the necessary resources to protect the country from Iranian-sponsored terrorism. The bill calls on Congress to act immediately to address the heightened threat.
Bill journey
1IntroducedCurrent
2In CommitteePending
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: From printer. (2026-03-05)Alert me
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| Mar. 05, 2026 | From printer. |
| Mar. 04, 2026 | Introduced. To print. |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, March 4, 2026 · 682 words
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Joint Resolution
No. 28
| Introduced by Assembly Member Sanchez |
March 04, 2026 |
Relative to the United States Department of Homeland Security.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AJR 28, as introduced, Sanchez. The United States Department of Homeland Security: funding.
This measure would urge the United States Senate, and specifically its Democratic members, to prioritize national security and the safety of American citizens by passing the House-approved United States Department of Homeland Security funding bill immediately. The measure would call on Congress to ensure that the brave staff members of the Transportation Security Administration, United States Coast Guard, and Federal Emergency Management Agency have the resources necessary to protect the United States from the heightened threat of Iranian-sponsored terrorism.
WHEREAS, On January 19, 2026, the United States House Committee on Appropriations announced a United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill negotiated on a bipartisan, bicameral basis, which was subsequently passed by the United States House of Representatives on January 22, 2026; and
WHEREAS, Despite the bipartisan origin of the bill, United States Senate Democrats voted against this funding on February 12, 2026, leading to a shutdown of DHS on February 14, 2026, which paralyzed critical security operations; and
WHEREAS, DHS oversees the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which in 2026 managed over 112,000 applications for assistance following the 2025 County of Los Angeles fires; and while over 30,000 households received aid, the ongoing funding holdup delays long-term recovery plans for thousands of Californians; and
WHEREAS, The funding lapse has left Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees without paychecks as of March 2026, increasing the risk of workplace absences and leaving overworked security personnel to defend against domestic terrorist incidents with diminished support; and
WHEREAS, The United States Coast Guard, which regulates a maritime industry worth over $5,400,000,000,000 annually, contributing over $40,000,000,000 annually in California and supporting over 500,000 jobs, is facing operational dysfunction as United States Coast Guard members miss paychecks; and
WHEREAS, These domestic vulnerabilities are compounded by a severe international security crisis, as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) raised counterterror teams to “high alert” on February 28, 2026, following military strikes against Iran; and
WHEREAS, The Iranian regime has a 46-year history of politically motivated violence against Americans, including the 1979 United States Embassy hostage crisis in Tehran, the 1983 Beirut Marine barracks bombing, and more than 180 attacks against United States forces in the Middle East between 2023 and 2024; and
WHEREAS, Recent threats have become increasingly personal and domestic, with federal prosecutors charging Iranian operatives in 2024 and 2025 for murder-for-hire plots targeting President Donald J. Trump and former National Security Adviser John Bolton; and
WHEREAS, On March 1, 2026, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed that “bloodshed and revenge” against the United States is a “legitimate right,” and United States officials are currently investigating a February 2026 mass shooting in Austin, Texas, that wounded 14 American citizens and killed 2 college students as a possible Iranian-inspired terrorist attack; and
WHEREAS, The FBI Director and United States Homeland Security Secretary have mobilized all available security assets to thwart potential threats to Americans, yet these efforts are fundamentally undermined by the lack of a congressionally approved budget; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature urges the United States Senate, and specifically its Democratic members, to prioritize national security and the safety of American citizens by passing the House-approved DHS funding bill immediately; and be it further
Resolved, That the Legislature calls on Congress to ensure that the brave staff members of the TSA, United States Coast Guard, and FEMA have the resources necessary to protect the United States from the heightened threat of Iranian-sponsored terrorism; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.
Text of AJR 28 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions