Cole Remarks at Rules Committee Hearing on H.R. 5371, Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026

Chairwoman Foxx, Ranking Member McGovern, and esteemed members of the Rules Committee, I thank you for your warm welcome and your kind invitation to testify today.

As members of this committee are all too painfully aware, for the last six weeks the federal government has been shut down. Millions of workers have gone unpaid. Air traffic control functions have slowed to a near halt. SNAP benefits expired, forcing millions of Americans to either find assistance from food banks or else go hungry. Seniors saw telehealth resources suspended. And Head Start education programs for children have been closing. These are just a few examples of the harm being inflicted on our nation. Yet, it didn’t have to be this way. 

Nearly two months ago, the House passed a continuing resolution that would have kept the government open and operating. This would have allowed Congress time to keep working on the FY 2026 appropriations process through regular order. But instead, Senate Democrats blocked its passage. The result of this political temper tantrum has been the longest government shutdown in our nation’s history. 

For forty-two days, and counting, Democrats have held the country hostage. Make no mistake, all the pain, all the suffering, and all the difficulty Americans have endured these past six weeks could have – and should have – been avoided. 

Instead, the hardship and damage caused was an intentional choice made by Democrat leadership. Minority Leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer led their caucus to shut down the government. And for forty-two days, the American people have borne the brunt of that decision and have been mere pawns at the partisan hands of Democrats.

At long last, reason has prevailed, and the measure before us will finally end this pointless shutdown. Today’s bill will not only re-open the government, but it will also move the FY 2026 appropriations process forward, representing a return to regular order. 

This legislation includes three bipartisan, bicameral full-year appropriations measures, covering the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs; Legislative Branch; and Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration divisions. These three bills have been negotiated between the two chambers and reflect a final, full, and bipartisan agreement.

With passage of these three divisions, we will have full-year funding in place for many of our most crucial programs. Military construction needs will be met for a full year, as will medical programs for our nation’s veterans. The legislative branch will be fully funded, including critical funding enhancements for the Capitol Police and for member security. The Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration will also be fully funded, as will the WIC program to ensure that pregnant women and young children will get the food and nutrition they need to survive and to thrive. 

Importantly, the agreement encompasses Community Project Funding in both the military construction and agriculture divisions, reflecting Congress’ clear control over the power of the purse. Inclusion of these projects was a high priority for the Appropriations Committee. And it accomplishes this goal while holding the line on overall spending levels. 

We also break Senator Schumer’s beloved end-of-year holiday omnibus habit. No more thousand-page spending behemoths at midnight—Republicans have restored an open, line-by-line process. As we continue to make strong progress on full-year FY26 bills, we’ve included a Continuing Resolution to fund the remainder of the government through January 30, 2026. This extension supports our ongoing work on this front, especially given the time lost during the Democrat shutdown. 

The simplest truth today is this: reopening the government will put an end to the chaos Democrat leadership has inflicted on Americans. It will ensure that SNAP funds are made available to ensure that no American goes hungry. It will re-establish control of the skies, keeping our nation’s air traffic moving during the holiday season. It will pay federal workers and American military personnel. And it will ensure the government can continue to provide critical services for our constituents like roads, parks, childcare, water projects, infrastructure improvements, scientific research, job training, and countless others.

I look forward to continuing the FY 2026 appropriations process in the coming weeks. And I hope that, having seen the consequences of this historic shutdown on the American people, it is not a political stunt repeated in the future. I thank each of you for your time – and look forward to your questions today.