Congressman Fong Votes to Reopen Government After Longest Shutdown in U.S. History

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Vince Fong (CA-20) voted to reopen the federal government, ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history. After refusing to support a clean funding extension passed by the House on September 19th, Senate Democrats shutdown the government for more than 40 days, voting a total of 14 times against reopening the government and two times against paying federal workers forced to show up for work without pay.

The Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026, which passed both chambers and now heads to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law, includes a continuing resolution to reopen the government as well as three bipartisan, bicameral full-year appropriations measures that will provide full-year funding for many of our nation's most crucial programs. Notably, the legislation's continuing resolution contains the exact same funding levels the House passed on September 19th to avoid a shutdown, which Senate Democrats opposed at the expense of the American people for six weeks, only changing the date of expiration to January 30, 2026.

“For 43 days, Senate Democrats have held the American people hostage by using them as leverage,” said Congressman Fong (CA-20). This shutdown was completely avoidable and the suffering it caused could have - and should have - been prevented. But instead of governing, Senator Schumer intentionally chose to play political games, wreaking havoc on our nation’s families by harming resources like SNAP, shutting down our skies, and forcing hardworking federal law enforcement officers and our military community to work without pay. Today, I voted again just as I did nearly two months ago, to open the government and get essential services back up and running in our community and across the nation.

“Today’s vote also delivered key victories I fought to secure including more than $81 million which will be invested in our military installations with a new Child Development Center at NAWS China Lake, an F-35 Aircraft Maintenance Hangar, and the Strike Fighter Center of Excellence Pacific at NAS Lemoore, and another $2 million which will go towards expanding water infrastructure to support our farmers and protect the food they grow from harmful pests. These investments will strengthen our local economy, bolster national security, and build a stronger future for California’s 20^th District.”

Investments secured by Congressman Fong for California’s 20th District:

• $8.9 million to design a new Child Development Center at NAWS China Lake, replacing an outdated facility to meet growing childcare needs.
• $17 million to design a new F-35 Aircraft Maintenance Hangar at NAS Lemoore, improving maintenance capacity for the Navy’s F-35 program.
• $55.542 million to construct the Strike Fighter Center of Excellence Pacific at NAS Lemoore, providing cutting-edge training facilities for Navy personnel.
• $2 million to establish 3,300 acres of groundwater recharge basins in the Fresno Irrigation District, Consolidated Irrigation District, and Alta Irrigation districts to provide reliable groundwater supplies to farmers as well as local communities.
  • During wet years, this project will have the ability to recharge over 250,000-acre feet of water in its aquifers, significantly improving the Central Valley water table and supply reliability.
• Directing the Navy to provide quarterly updates on infrastructure improvements at NAWS China Lake.
• Directing the VA Secretary to sign the lease and begin construction of the long-delayed Bakersfield Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) unless blocked by a court order.
• Maintaining FY25 funding levels for Navel Orangeworm (NOW) management to continue addressing this major threat to California’s almond industry.
• Maintains level funding for the Citrus Health Response Program (CHRP) – a national initiative to protect U.S. citrus from invasive pests and diseases such as Huanglongbing, fruit flies, and the glassy-winged sharpshooter.
• Supports efforts to combat Huanglongbing through an emergency response program dedicated to stopping this devastating citrus disease threatening orchards nationwide.
• Provisions that help combat the Carpophilus truncatus beetle, which devastates almond and pistachio crops, fund orchard removal for abandoned tree nut groves, and advance citrus disease research.

Highlights of the Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026:

• Extends government funding at current levels through January 30, 2026, for most federal departments and programs.
  • Returns to federal workforce levels prior to the lapse in appropriations and prevents any reduction in force for the duration of the continuing resolution.
  • Extends expiring health care programs through the duration of the continuing resolution, including community health centers and other public health programs, payments to hospitals and ambulances in rural and underserved areas, and Medicare telehealth flexibilities.
• Provides full-year funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), legislative branch operations, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). These measures:
  • $26.65 billion in discretionary funding to support farmers, rural communities, and food safety. Key provisions include:
    • $3.8 billion for agricultural research programs to ensure America maintains our competitive edge in agricultural production and innovation.
    • $1.2 billion for Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) to help protect more than $325 billion worth of livestock, poultry, field crop, and specialty crop production.
    • $1.2 billion for Food Safety and Inspection Services.
    • $8.2 billion for the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutrition program to ensure low-income mothers and their babies have access to healthy and nutritious food.
    • Ensuring the Secretary of Agriculture is included in the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to protect American farmland from foreign adversaries.
  • Over $400 billion to fully fund veterans medical care and mandatory benefits and support critical housing, infrastructure, and facilities for U.S. military forces and their families.
    • $115 billion for VA medical care. Combined with $52.6 billion from the mandatory Toxic Exposures Fund, the VA will have $167.7 billion to fully fund health care for veterans.
    • $263.7 billion for veterans’ benefits, including disability compensation programs, education benefits, and vocational rehabilitation and employment training.
    • $19.7 billion for the Department of Defense (DoD) military construction program to support approximately 300 projects at military installations.

 For more information, view the full legislative here.