Congressman Luttrell: Democrat Colleagues Joined Republicans in Re-Opening the Federal Government for the American People

After 43 days of a government shutdown, our Democrat colleagues joined Republicans in re-opening the federal government for the American people.
 
The legislation passed earlier this month was nearly identical to the bill that House Republicans passed in September. Democrats opposed it — repeatedly — and chose partisan politics over paying our military and serving our veterans.
 
I know this shutdown hit TX-08 families hard. Democrats put unnecessary stress on our military families and the communities that support them.

Regardless of whether the government was open or closed, my mission did not change. I’m honored to represent you and your family and will continue fighting for your interests in Washington.

Passing Legislation
Last week, I was proud to see two of my bills pass the House standing up for our veterans and strengthening our national security. Here is a rundown of these pieces of legislation:
 
The first piece of legislation is the Veterans Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Act, which ensures that veterans receiving compensation for service-connected disabilities, as well as the survivors of certain veterans, will see an increase in their benefits to match the rising cost of living.

My priority in Congress has always been to ensure our veterans and their families receive the care and compensation they deserve. This bill is a testament to that and now heads to the president’s desk, where it waits to be signed into law.
 
I’m also focused on keeping our homeland safe. The Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act of 2025, which also recently passed the House, directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a threat assessment of terrorist threats to the United States posed by individuals in Syria with an affiliation with a Foreign Terrorist Organization or a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organization. This critical legislation will protect American lives, prevent future attacks, and strengthen our counterterrorism efforts.

I’m proud to see my colleagues support my efforts in our chamber and look forward to working on more critical issues for our nation.

Honoring Our Heroes
This fall is a special time to honor our service members and veterans who have sacrificed everything for the benefit of our nation. These past two months included Veterans Day, as well as the founding of the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy, which recently celebrated its 250th birthday.

To all our military heroes: Thank you for your service and dedication to our country. We are forever indebted to you and your families.
 
My team was also able to get a veteran the medals he’s rightfully earned. A few weeks ago, my office assisted David Dillard in receiving the following medals:
•             Bronze Star Medal with two silver oak leaf clusters
•             Purple Heart
•             Air Medal
•             Army Commendation Medal
•             Good Conduct Medal
•             National Defense Service Medal
•             Vietnam Service Medal with one bronze service star and one silver service star
•             Combat Infantryman Badge 1st award and two others

It is one of my greatest honors of serving in Congress to be able to advocate for our veterans and work on their behalf. If you see a veteran, please thank them for all they have done serving our country and risking their lives for all of us.