WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after voting for the funding package to reopen the federal government after 41 days of the Schumer Shutdown:

“Today, Senate Republicans defeated Chuck Schumer’s demands for $1.5 trillion in wasteful far-left spending and passed a clean government funding extension to reopen the federal government,” said Senator Blackburn. “Tennesseans can breathe a sigh of relief knowing they will once again receive essential services, our brave service members will be paid, and families will get the paychecks they rely on after Democrats inflicted needless pain on the American people for more than a month to appease the radical left. Democrats forced the country into the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, and Americans will not forget this.”

BACKGROUND

• The Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act will extend government funding at Fiscal Year 2025 levels through January 30, 2026, or until full-year appropriations bills are enacted.

• The Continuing Resolution maintains funding across federal agencies with standard restrictions, such as prohibitions on new program starts, multi-year contracts, or production increases. It also authorizes limited exceptions to sustain critical operations, including national security programs, disaster relief, and mandatory entitlements. Additional provisions address retroactive pay for furloughed federal employees, reimbursement to states for maintaining federal services during the lapse, and specific anomalies allowing agencies to meet operational or safety needs.

• This legislation includes a package of three full-year appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2026, including the:
• Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon-VA) Appropriations Act;
  
  
• Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Related Agencies Appropriations Act; and

• Legislative Branch Appropriations Act.

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