‘The Government Is Finally Reopening,’ Pfluger Says After Record Shutdown Ends

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. August Pfluger on Wednesday welcomed the federal government’s reopening after Congress approved a clean continuing resolution to end what became the longest shutdown in U.S. history.

Pfluger, who represents Texas’ 11th District, voted for the stopgap measure, which funds federal agencies and restores programs that had been halted for more than six weeks. He said the resolution is identical to a version he supported earlier in the shutdown.

In a statement, Pfluger criticized Democrats for what he described as prolonged negotiations that left the government shuttered for 43 days. He said the shutdown led to significant disruptions for families in his district and across the country.

According to Pfluger, the resolution ensures continued funding for programs such as WIC, SNAP and child nutrition assistance, and fully supports veterans’ health care and benefits. The measure also allows federal workers to receive back pay and enables military training to resume at facilities including Goodfellow Air Force Base and Fort Hood.

Pfluger said approval of the funding bill will also allow small-business loans to move forward and help airports return to full staffing ahead of the holiday travel season.

He encouraged constituents affected by the shutdown to contact his office for assistance as federal services resume.

See the full statement below: 

“For more than six weeks, Democrats held our country hostage over demands for health care for illegal aliens, trillions in wasteful spending, and to prove to their base they could 'stand up' to President Trump. The irony? We are in the exact same place with the exact same deal today as we had 43 days ago. Democrats didn't get a single one of their woke demands, proving what we already knew: the shutdown was nothing more than a reckless political stunt. Unfortunately, this stunt inflicted real, painful consequences on the American people, and I am furious about the unnecessary hardship it caused my constituents.

“While I am thankful the government is finally reopening, it is important to remember that all of this was preventable. Weeks ago, I voted to pass the same clean, nonpartisan Continuing Resolution to keep the government open that we voted on today – funding critical programs my constituents rely on like WIC, SNAP, and Child Nutrition, as well as fully funding veterans' health care and benefits. Yet once again, the majority of House Democrats voted against it, despite voting for it 13 times under President Biden. Make no mistake: this was a vote against paying our federal workers and air traffic controllers, against supporting our veterans and troops, and against keeping essential programs running.

“Once President Trump signs this CR to reopen the government, federal workers will begin receiving back pay, specialized military trainings can resume at Goodfellow Air Force Base and Fort Hood, small business loans will start being approved again, critical programs can get back on track, and airports will return to full staffing to prevent further delays and cancellations ahead of the busy holiday travel season.

“After being home in the district working to ensure my constituents had the resources needed to navigate the chaos and care for their families, I am ready and eager to get back to Washington to govern and deliver on the mandate we were given by the American people last November. If you have questions about the government reopening, especially if you were impacted by the shutdown, please don't hesitate to reach out to my office.”