Congressman Pete Sessions of Texas’ 17th District issued a statement following the passage of the Senate Amendment to H.R. 5371, which brought an end to the recent government shutdown.
Sessions stated, “Today, I voted YES on the Senate Amendment to H.R. 5371 to end the government shutdown. This was a costly and painful shutdown that lasted 43 days, driven by the Democrats’ gridlock over the Affordable Care Act and reckless federal spending that continues to expand our deficit and debt.”
He highlighted several provisions included in the legislation: “This legislation closes the hemp loophole that allowed intoxicating and dangerous high-potency THC products like Delta-8 to flood our communities. It protects American farmland from foreign adversaries by ensuring Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has a seat on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, strengthening our ability to counter China’s acquisitions of U.S. farmland. It also fully funds veterans’ medical care and benefits, totaling $400 billion, to ensure our veterans receive the care and respect they have earned, while safeguarding their Second Amendment rights by preventing the VA from sharing private data with the FBI without judicial consent. In addition, it guarantees retroactive pay for all federal employees impacted during the continuing resolution.”
Sessions also noted funding secured for local infrastructure: “Importantly, I was proud to secure $3.3 million in this measure for the construction of a new water tower in the City of Mexia. This project represents a vital investment in our rural infrastructure and will strengthen the community’s water system for generations to come. I am especially grateful to former Brazos River Authority Director Lance Phillips for his partnership and advocacy in helping deliver this project for the people of Limestone County.”
Pete Sessions has maintained electoral support in his district over recent years. In 2024, he won re-election against Mark Lorenzen with about 66% of votes cast (https://ballotpedia.org/Pete_Sessions). He achieved similar results in previous elections: defeating Mary Jo Woods in 2022 with nearly two-thirds of votes (https://ballotpedia.org/Pete_Sessions), and Rick Kennedy in 2020 with just under 56% (https://ballotpedia.org/Pete_Sessions).
