Tom Cole

Washington, D.C. – The power of the purse is not simply a talking point – it is a constitutional duty so important the Founders prescribed it in Article I. Yet, over the past several decades, the mandate to fund the government in a timely, orderly, and reliable manner has become increasingly lost. For too long, Congress relied on backroom omnibus deals or lurched from deadline to deadline instead of prioritizing regular order. However, under Chairman Tom Cole's leadership, the House Appropriations Committee and Republican Conference charted a different course. By advancing all twelve annual appropriations bills through the full committee, moving individual funding bills and conference packages, and repeatedly voting to prevent – and ultimately end – government shutdowns instigated by Senate Democrats, the Committee demonstrated that responsible governing is still possible . That stewardship culminated in all twelve Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bills being enacted into law by President Trump, despite the disruption and pain caused by the two longest government shutdowns in American history. Upholding Article I and ending the cycle of government shutdowns are at the center of a new opinion piece from Americans for Prosperity (AFP), which points to the House Appropriations Committee's recent focus as a model for progress. The commentary praises advancement of all twelve appropriations bills through markups and highlights Wednesday's upcoming full committee hearing, " Funding Lapses: Analyzing Shutdown Reform ," as further evidence of Appropriators taking their obligations seriously and working to make government more effective for the American people. The bottom line: Government shutdowns are never the answer. Washington and the nation don’t need more funding crises – they need more appropriations bills, more regular order, and more leaders willing to govern in good faith by putting political obstruction aside. Read on or here as AFP’s Will Burger shares why the House’s appropriations progress should be protected, strengthened, and prioritized. Image Shut Down the Shutdowns: Congress’s Chaos Addiction is Costing You by Will Burger July 20, 2026 Funding the government on time was once the most basic thing Congress did. Today, it has become one of the hardest. Shutdown brinkmanship has turned routine appropriations into a recurring hostage crisis, the threats facing the country are multiplying, and with a consequential midterm election ahead, no one can assume the next Congress will be any steadier than this one. In a moment this volatile, a government that cannot reliably fund itself is a reality the country cannot afford. However, in the midst of drama and pessimism, there are reasons to be hopeful. First, after years of delay, short-sighted politics, and last-minute deals by both parties, the House Appropriations Committee, under the leadership of Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK), reported all 12 annual appropriations bills through the full committee while leadership advanced measures to the floor for Fiscal 2026. That may sound procedural, which it is. But it matters because it represents Congress reclaiming its constitutional role under Article I and taking responsibility for how taxpayer dollars are spent. Second, this coming Wednesday, the House Appropriations Committee will hold its first full-committee oversight hearing in over 18 years. Remarkably, Cole chose the topic of shutdown reform. The Committee is showing that it is more than willing to put its money where its mouth is in fighting for the congressional power of the purse. This progress is good for Americans and should not be abandoned. The costs of failure are too high and already realized. The 43-day federal shutdown of 2025, initiated by Senate Democrats, cost the economy billions of dollars, furloughed hundreds of thousands of workers, and rattled financial markets. Before the country could fully recover, a second funding lapse strained airport operations and securi