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The longest federal government shutdown has finally ended.
For 43 days, the Democrat Party held our government hostage to use the pain the government shutdown caused millions of Americans as "leverage" for their political games. It didn’t work. Democrats were demanding that Congress fund their radical agenda, which would total $1.5 trillion in new spending, including nearly $200 billion for healthcare for illegal aliens, $500 million to prop up liberal propaganda machines like PBS and NPR, and billions for woke projects around the globe. After 41 days of pain-inflicting chaos, eight Senate Democrats finally joined Senate Republicans in passing a clean continuing resolution (CR) that funds the government through January 30, 2026, and provides full-year appropriations for the Agriculture, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs (MilCon-VA), and Legislative Branch appropriations bill, without any of the Democrats' radical demands.
This week, I proudly voted to pass this bill, which maintains President Trump's rescissions of wasteful spending. Importantly, this bill does not extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) COVID-era subsidies. The package included three full-year Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 appropriations bills supporting our Veterans, agriculture, and government operations for the American people:
The Legislative Branch Appropriations Act of 2026 provides funding for Congress through September 30, 2026. This appropriations bill safeguards American taxpayer dollars by keeping Member office funding stable, streamlining support agencies to cut costs, blocking Chinese-made technology and drones, and redirecting unused funds to reduce our national debt.
The Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2026, provides funds for Veterans’ health care and benefits, backs President Trump’s initiative to combat Veteran homelessness, preserves mental-health and research programs, protects Veterans’ Second Amendment rights, modernizes health records to improve care, strengthens national security by investing in military infrastructure, keeps Guantanamo Bay open, and bans the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) from purchasing goods tied to China.
The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2026 prioritizes agencies and programs that protect our nation’s food and drug supply, supports American farmers, ranchers, and rural communities, and ensures low-income families have access to nutrition programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This appropriations bill contained two wins for the 22nd Congressional District, including nearly $2 million for the construction of an essential Point of Distribution (POD) community center in Sargent, Texas. The Sargent community doesn’t currently have a place where local officials can conduct disaster relief or distribute relief supplies after a natural disaster, or a place where residents can come to flee extreme heat or take shelter after heavy rainfall. This bill provides the funding to construct this critical facility, which will directly help Sargent residents in times of need. Additionally, this appropriations bill contains funding to update and improve the aging facilities at the Wharton Dobson Club and Wharton Teen Scene Club to allow for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston Capital Improvements Project in Wharton County to provide exceptional after-school and summer programming for young students in Texas’s 22nd Congressional District.
My House and Senate Republican colleagues and I did not cave to the Democrats' radical demands. We held the line. After more than 40 days, the government is back to working on behalf of the American people. I will continue to work alongside President Trump and my Republican colleagues in Congress to deliver the America First agenda.
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