Congressman Eric Burlison is hopeful the federal government will reopen soon.
During his address before people gathered to celebrate the expansion of the Jordan Valley Community Health Center Dental Clinic on W. Kingsley, Burlison acknowledged the shutdown. He said, "please pray for the people that are impacted and do what, you know, southwest Missouri does well, which is...reach out and provide support and help for those who truly need it in these times."
Speaking to KSMU Friday afternoon, shortly after the event, he said he recently flew back to Washington D.C. for a few days and met with House Speaker Mike Johnson.
He said they're hearing some rumors that "the Democrats are kind of closing in on having negotiations about, you know, passing the three bills, the appropriation bills that we've already sent over — three of the 12."
He said if that happens, the federal government would be funded for all of the next fiscal year "and then they would do a continuing resolution on what remains."
The government shut down at midnight on October1 because Congress failed to pass appropriations legislation for Fiscal Year 2026.
Democrats' votes are needed in order to pass those appropriations, and they're standing firm, saying they won't approve them unless Affordable Care Act subsidies for the federal health care marketplace are extended.
Burlison said subsidies are "a different subject matter altogether than an appropriation bill" and that "it's against the rules to actually even do policy in the appropriation process."
He said Speaker Johnson told members of Congress to be ready to fly back on a 24-hour notice if a vote to reopen the government is imminent.
President Donald Trump this week asked Republicans to get rid of the filibuster in order to open the government back up. Burlison said he opposes doing so.
"There's very, very few senators that would end that now," he said. "Personally, I wouldn't end the filibuster."
But he said he'd like for the filibuster to be done like it is in Missouri where legislators actually have to get up and talk.
He acknowledges that, as a nation, the U.S. "has become much more divided." But he said there is collaboration happening between Democrats and Republicans in Washington.
He said Democrat Jared Golden who has the office next to his is a friend, and they've co-sponsored bills. Golden announced this week that he won't seek re-election next year.
