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Rep. Roger Williams says government reopening "could have come to an end" earlier, defends GOP agenda for small business
Summary
Rep. Roger Williams, chair of the House Small Business Committee, said the recent government shutdown "could have come to an end September 19," argued Congress had voted earlier, and urged focus on tax and regulatory changes he says will benefit Main Street; House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries offered a partisan rebuttal in a recorded clip.
Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, chair of the House Small Business Committee, told interviewers that the federal government’s recent shutdown "could have come to an end September 19," saying he and other Republicans had voted earlier for a measure to reopen the government.
"We could have had the government open, military could have kept getting paid," Williams said, adding that no substantive change occurred between the earlier vote and the measure approved the night before the interview. "But anyway, that's water under the bridge now. Now we gotta move our country forward and get Main Street... moving again."
Williams framed the reopening as necessary to restore paychecks and benefits for federal employees and to return services such as air travel to normal operation. He praised provisions he said had been overshadowed during the shutdown, including what he described as reduced bank regulation, permanent tax cuts, "100% expensing for businesses," and a transcript-noted "$30,000,000 cap" on inheritance tax.
A recorded clip of President Donald J. Trump played during the program called the damage caused by the shutdown "serious" and cautioned the public not to forget it ahead of midterm elections. The hosts also played a recorded statement from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticizing Republicans and saying voters would hold them accountable.
Asked whether he was worried about potential political fallout, Williams said he was not. "The Democrats have no plan at all," he said, adding that Republicans have "a plan for Main Street" and for "lesser government." He acknowledged that two House Republicans—Reps. Thomas Massie and Greg Steube—voted against the measure to reopen but described them as friends who vote according to their districts.
The interview closed after roughly the exchange above; no new legislation or formal congressional action was introduced during the segment.
What happens next: the interview did not identify any new bills or votes scheduled as a direct result of the interview; the speakers framed the episode as a political and policy debate rather than announcing further committee action.
