Rep. French Hill urges Senate to pass continuing resolution as shutdown puts federal pay and programs at risk

Rep. French Hill, a Republican congressman from Arkansas, urged the Senate on-air to pass the House’s bipartisan continuing resolution to reopen the federal government, saying the delay is harming people who rely on federal programs.

"People depended on the flood insurance program," French Hill said, adding that service members face missed pay and that state childcare programs depend on federal grant funding. He said the remedy is straightforward: "All the Senate has to do is pass the continuing resolution and keep the appropriations process going."

French Hill described the consequences of a prolonged shutdown: contractors and federal employees preparing for missed paychecks, and some workers potentially losing jobs. He also said he has declined his congressional pay during this shutdown, as he has in earlier shutdowns.

The congressman said both chambers had been advancing spending bills — he cited three bills passed in the Senate and four in the House — and criticized Senate Democratic leadership for escalating the standoff. "Schumer, I think, for internal democratic political purposes, chose to pick a fight with Trump," he said.

Why it matters: A continuing resolution would temporarily fund government operations and prevent imminent pay disruptions for federal employees and military members; unresolved funding also threatens federally supported state programs such as childcare and flood-insurance claims processing.

What’s next: French Hill said senators are "having conversations" about fiscal 2026 appropriations and urged action to avoid further harm to workers and beneficiaries. The segment did not record a Senate vote; French Hill framed passage of the House measure as the immediate fix.

Direct quotes in this article come from the interview transcript.