Derek Schmidt

02/03/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/03/2026 18:56

Schmidt Votes to Reopen Federal Government

WASHINGTON, D.C. - (February 3, 2026) - Congressman Derek Schmidt (KS-2) today voted in favor of legislation to fund the Departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Treasury, State, and related agencies.

Today's passage of H.R. 7148, which includes five appropriation bills funding those agencies, will reopen those parts of the federal government that have been shut down since January 31. The House of Representatives today voted 217-214 after the Senate passed the House bill, as amended, last Friday, 71-29. The bill was signed into law by President Trump earlier this afternoon.

Congress has now passed 11 of the 12 annual appropriation bills that fund operations of the federal government. That is the most individual appropriation bills enacted in a single year since the 1990s. The one remaining bill under congressional consideration includes funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

"I ran for Congress to help get Washington, D.C., working again as it is supposed to, and part of that means enacting the annual spending bills rather than enormous omnibus spending measures," Schmidt said. "Today's action is a big step in the right direction. While far from perfect, the eleven appropriation bills enacted so far move overall spending down not up, establish America First priorities rather than Biden-era priorities, and fund vital services like military pay raises, airport security, and national defense."

Within the overall spending limits, Schmidt secured provisions in the bill passed today to direct funding to community priorities in the 2nd Congressional District: $4 million for the Route 92 Centennial Bridge Replacement in Leavenworth County and $2.06 million for the Union Pacific Bridge Underpass in Wyandotte County.

Derek Schmidt published this content on February 03, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on February 04, 2026 at 00:56 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]