SHUTDOWN OVER! Zinke Votes to Reopen the Government, Delivers Over $1.1 Million in Direct Funding to Montana Projects

Washington, D.C. - Today, Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke voted for H.R. 5371, the Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026, which ends the 43-day Democrat started government shutdown, funds the government through January 30, 2026, and provides full fiscal year funding for the Departments of Agriculture and Veterans Affairs. Zinke had voted to prevent the shutdown in September. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Congressman Zinke helped craft these bills and secured key Montana wins within them. With passage in both the House and Senate, the bill now heads to the President's desk for his signature.

"Shutdowns are bad for America and bad for Montana. I voted to prevent this shutdown in September, and I gladly voted to end it today," said Zinke. "This package is a good, bipartisan, solution, and I fought to make sure it includes real wins for our state, from funding fire departments in Ronan and Powell County to providing certainty for rural communities that depend on reliable government services. Congress has come together, and I urge the President to sign this bill so we can keep our government open and get back to working for the American people."

Montana Wins in the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026

Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies

• Zinke's request for Montana Community Projects
  • $554,969 for Powell County Volunteer Fire Department equipment.
  • $547,500 for a new Type 1 fire truck for the Ronan Volunteer Fire Department.
• Includes Zinke's request for a $500,000 increase for grasshopper control and suppression efforts
• Expands research to combat invasive species, pests, and livestock diseases.
• $4.1 billion for programs supporting housing, utilities, and infrastructure in rural America.
• $37.84 billion for national school lunch, breakfast, and summer food programs.
• Strengthens oversight of foreign ownership of farmland by improving tracking and adding the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to review agricultural transactions involving China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran.

Military Construction and Veterans Affairs

• Fully funds veterans' health care, benefits, and VA programs.
• Supports President Trump's initiative to combat veteran homelessness through the new National Center for Warrior Independence.
• Protects Second Amendment rights of veterans by requiring judicial consent before VA information is shared with the FBI.
• Provides $19.7 billion for Department of Defense military construction and family housing.
• Includes Zinke's language to continue protecting Montana air ambulances.
• Includes Zinke's bill to reinstate the "Flowers for Fallen Heroes" program.

Legislative Branch

• Requires unspent congressional office funds to go toward debt and deficit reduction.
• Prohibits the purchase of technology and telecommunications equipment from China and other adversaries.
• Increases funding for U.S. Capitol Police officers and civilian support staff.

Congressman Zinke remained a strong advocate for reopening the government after his first vote to prevent the shutdown in September. While many Senate Democrats continued to block efforts to reopen, Zinke worked directly with county commissioners, tribal leaders, and local officials to help Montanans weather the operational strain caused by the closure. During the shutdown, he even volunteered in Yellowstone National Park to help rangers clean and maintain facilities so visitors could continue to enjoy the park.

The Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026 has now passed both chambers of Congress and will soon head to the President's desk for his signature. Once signed, the government will officially reopen, paychecks will resume for federal workers, and programs supporting veterans, farmers, and small businesses will be fully operational. Congressman Zinke remains committed to passing the remaining seven Appropriations Bills out of the House and seeing them signed into law.

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