Houston Daily

U.S. Congressman Brian Babin, who represents Texas's 36th district and serves as Chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, has published an opinion piece in Newsmax criticizing Senate Democrats for their role in the ongoing government shutdown. Babin argues that the shutdown is driven by partisan politics rather than concerns for public welfare.

In his op-ed, Babin writes, "The American people deserve better. They deserve a government that works for them, not against them. A government that funds its troops, secures its border, unleashes American energy, and keeps our economy strong."

Babin claims that House Republicans passed a continuing resolution to fund the government at levels previously supported by Democrats but says Senate Democrats refused to approve it. He alleges they are using the shutdown to push for policies such as additional funding for Affordable Care Act subsidies and are not prioritizing essential services.

He also references statements from Democratic leaders during the shutdown. According to Babin, Sen. Schumer was quoted saying, "Every day it gets better" for Democrats during this shutdown. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has said previously, "It is not normal for us to shut down the government when we don't get what we want." Additionally, a senior Democratic aide reportedly stated they would not concede "short of planes falling out of the sky."

Babin credits former President Trump with taking action to mitigate some effects of the shutdown: "If not for President Trump's leadership, our servicemembers and their families would still be going without paychecks. He also used $300 million of tariff revenue to temporarily fund the Women, Infants, and Children program (WIC), which many rely on."

He describes negative impacts from the shutdown such as delayed travel and suspended small business loans and estimates economic losses in Texas at about $1.4 billion per week with 4,100 jobs lost.

Babin concludes his argument by reiterating his call for responsible governance: "The American people deserve better. They deserve a government that works for them, not against them... It's time for Senate Democrats to stop playing games, end this political stunt, and get back to governing."

Brian Babin has held his seat since 2014 and has consistently won re-election in Texas's 36th congressional district by significant margins over several election cycles.