At 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, the United States government entered a shutdown. The event followed the passage of a short-term continuing resolution (CR) by House Republicans two weeks prior, intended to keep the government open while Congress finished the appropriations process. According to the release, the House Appropriations Committee had advanced all twelve appropriations bills out of committee.
The statement noted that only one Democrat voted for the CR, despite it being similar to extensions previously supported by most Democrats on 13 occasions. It also stated that House Republicans, Senate Republicans, and the White House were in agreement on supporting the short-term measure.
The shutdown is expected to have economic consequences and affect federal employees and contractors, including many in Oklahoma. During the shutdown, service members, TSA agents, CBP officers, and others could face delayed pay.
Congresswoman Stephanie Bice commented on the situation:
“I am extremely frustrated we are heading into a government shutdown, a situation which was totally avoidable. This funding extension is nearly identical to numerous ones that Democrats have supported in the past, proving they would rather play games and hold the pay of millions of Americans hostage. By refusing to move our short-term funding bill forward, they are forcing a harmful and unnecessary shutdown that will cause instability for Oklahomans in my congressional district and across the country. This is not responsible governing; Washington should be providing stability, not chaos. I will continue fighting for solutions that put people first and keep the government functioning.”
Congresswoman Bice has also co-sponsored legislation aimed at mitigating some effects of a shutdown. These include the Pay Our Troops Act for FY26, which ensures continued pay for service members including those in the Coast Guard, and the Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act of 2026, which provides salary and expenses for Department of Homeland Security personnel during a shutdown.
Stephanie Bice represents Oklahoma’s 5th district in Congress, having taken office in 2021 after replacing Kendra Horn. Before her current role, she served in the Oklahoma Senate from 2014 to 2020. Bice was born in Oklahoma City in 1973, resides there currently, and graduated from Oklahoma State University, Stillwater with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1995.
