NEW: Longtime GOP Congressman Makes Beautiful Announcement
House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, says he’s calling it quits after nearly a decade in Congress, leaving on what he calls a “high note” after helping shepherd President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” into law.
“I have a firm conviction, much like our founders did, that public service is a lifetime commitment, but public office is and should be a temporary stint in stewardship, not a career,” Arrington said.
The conservative Texan, who’s represented his West Texas district since 2017, told Fox News Digital he’s proud to step aside after playing a central role in one of Trump’s signature legislative wins.
“It was a very unique, generational impact opportunity, to be almost ten years into this and to have the budget chairmanship, and to lead the charge to successfully pass that and to help this president fulfill his mandate from the people,” Arrington said. “It just seems like a good and right place to leave it.”
He pointed to several legislative victories over his tenure but said his proudest legacy was shifting the culture in Congress and his party.
“It’s more of changing the narrative and the culture in Congress and in my party that I’m most proud of,” he said. “I’m from a rural district and I can tell you, raising the profile among urban and suburban members as to the unique challenges of rural America and the unique contributions of rural America — like food security and energy independence and how much the nation depends on these plow boys and cowboys in rural areas — that’s another thing I’m proud of.”
Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-TX
Arrington, who has long preached the gospel of fiscal restraint — or “reversing the curse” of the national debt — said he’s confident the next wave of GOP leaders will carry the torch.
“The president’s committed to it, he talks about it all the time. He’s actually doing something about it with very difficult decisions, not politically popular decisions. This is all about political will,” Arrington said. “Trump’s doing it. Mike Johnson is committed to it… And we have a growing number of fiscal hawks who are absolutely dogged on this issue.”
Still, Arrington said he’s not coasting through his final year. He plans to push for another major budget reconciliation bill to follow up on the “big, beautiful bill.”
“I don’t know where the Senate Republicans are. I don’t know where the president is and can’t speak for the White House. But the House is at the ready,” he said. “It’s been our most consequential tool to support the president and the strength of the country, and I don’t see any reason we wouldn’t utilize it to its fullest extent.”
As for what’s next, Arrington said he hasn’t settled on his next move, but he’s not done fighting.
He said he plans to seek “a new leadership challenge” that “allows me to make the biggest difference on as many people as I can.”
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