The longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history is nearing an end. Maricopa’s congressman says he’s ready to finish the job.
Late last night, the U.S. Senate voted 60-40 to advance a repackaged House-passed spending bill that would fund the government through Jan. 30. The measure also extends funding for military construction and veterans affairs, the Department of Agriculture and the Legislative Branch through Sept. 30, 2026.
The bill now heads back to the House of Representatives, where Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) said he looks forward to voting again to reopen the government.
“This is a positive development for many Americans who have faced furloughs, missed paychecks, travel disruptions and uncertainty over lapses in critical programs,” Crane said in a press release today. “Rural Arizonans proudly stood up and looked after one another during this period of frustration.”
Crane, who represents Maricopa in Arizona’s Second Congressional District, supported the original House funding measure that stalled in the Senate at the start of October. Since then, he has used the shutdown period to tout a series of district and national actions, including backing a petition urging federal election officials to require proof of citizenship for voters.
He also cosponsored articles of impeachment for federal Judge James Boasberg and called for a constitutional amendment to block congressional pay during future shutdowns.
“While D.C. stops working, our work never stops,” Crane said.
Silence to strain
Earlier in the shutdown, local impacts appeared limited. One month ago, most Maricopans felt little immediate disruption, though about 6,000 federal workers in Pinal County began bracing for delayed paychecks and limited agency operations.
At that time, Box Canyon Recreational Shooting Site south of the city remained open, as the Bureau of Land Management prioritized maintaining public access despite staffing cuts. Maricopa Unified School District confirmed federal meal programs were still funded through the month using reserve funds.
But by late October, the ripple effects had reached the city’s safety net. On Halloween, InMaricopa documented endless queues of cars snaking from F.O.R. Maricopa Food Bank’s parking lot to Maricopa Road as volunteers opened early to meet surging demand.
With federal food assistance programs like SNAP on the brink of halting, local food banks scrambled to fill the gap. F.O.R. executive director Wendy Webb said demand had risen as much as 50% in a matter of weeks.
“We’re doing everything we can,” she said at the time. “We’re buying a lot of food but that’s not sustainable in the long range.”
Maricopa Pantry on Papago Road distributed 2,300 boxes in two days, nearly double its pandemic-era peak. Gov. Katie Hobbs directed $1.8 million to support food banks statewide, though local directors said it was not enough to meet demand. Last month, Crane’s office told InMaricopa it remained open for constituent casework but did not offer resources or guidance for those receiving food stamps.
Next steps
Earlier today, Crane joined fellow Arizona Republicans Andy Biggs and Paul Gosar in inviting Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz to visit rural Arizona, citing the need to ensure federal investments in rural hospitals reach the communities that need them most.
If the House approves the Senate’s version of the funding bill this week, government operations could resume by mid-month.
