Senate Republicans are moving forward with a narrow reconciliation bill plan to fund immigration enforcement and reopen the Department of Homeland Security after a 68-day shutdown, and the House is expected to approve the measure once it arrives, according to Rep. Randy Fine on Newsmax.
"It does appear that they will get this to us in the next week or two, and then we will take it up and pass it in the House," the Florida Republican told Newsmax's "Wake Up America Early" on Wednesday.
The Senate's previous proposal was insufficient, he added.
"What the Senate sent us was basically an open-borders bill a few weeks ago. We said we wouldn't pass it," said Fine.
"And so now the solution is for them to send us a very skinny reconciliation bill that funds the rest of the Department of Homeland Security," he continued. "When we put those two together, we'll have a fully funded department."
Fine said the reconciliation process would allow Republicans to bypass the 60-vote threshold typically required in the Senate.
"Because it is being run as a reconciliation bill, that is a specific type of legislation that only requires 51 votes in the Senate," he explained.
"The problem that we have with the Department of Homeland Security is that Democrats used the minority veto effectively to keep the department closed."
Fine also addressed a newly approved constitutional amendment in Virginia allowing the Democrat-controlled General Assembly to redraw the state's congressional map, a move that could shift the current 6-5 Democrat advantage to as much as 10-1.
"What it shows is when Democrats can't win, they cheat," Fine said. "They want to talk about fairness. They want to talk about our democracy. But this district is repulsive."
Fine pointed to the shape and composition of proposed districts.
"One of the districts looks like a lobster based on how they've had to draw it, so they clearly don't care about fair districts that are going to represent the interests of local people," he said. "They care about the same thing Democrats have always cared about: raw, unadulterated power."
He said Republicans would continue to compete in upcoming elections despite the changes.
"This will pick them up seats. But look, we're going to continue to fight it out at the ballot box," Fine said.
Fine also responded to comments from former Vice President Kamala Harris, who said the Virginia vote showed voters rejecting Republican efforts to influence the 2026 midterms.
"I think it's going to be close," Fine said. "I mean, I think Kamala Harris talking about rigging elections is quite rich. Here's someone who thought they should be president without getting a single vote to be a nominee of a major party."
He added, "What happened yesterday is rigging elections in a state that Kamala barely won."
"Republicans will now have less than 10% of the members of Congress," Fine added.
"This is the most egregious gerrymander in America today, and Democrats are trying to justify it by saying the ends justify the means."
Fine said the outcome would ultimately depend on voter turnout.
"Republicans will still win this election in November," he said.
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