{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://vindman.house.gov/2026/09/10/vindman-hears-from-the-84-of-virginians-who-support-keeping-the-government-open/", "Vindman Hears from the 84% of Virginians Who\u00a0Support Keeping the Government Open", "2026-09-10", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Eugene Simon Vindman", "V000138", "vindman.house.gov", "vindman", "https://vindman.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 Congressman Eugene Vindman (Va.-07) heard from more than 850 Virginians in a district-wide survey, and the results were clear: respondents overwhelmingly believe that Congress should fight to keep the government open.\n\n\u201cVirginians know that federal workers are the backbone of our economy and our government,\u201d said Vindman. \u201cWith tens of thousands of federal workers and contractors in Virginia\u2019s Seventh District, I was proud to vote to keep the government open. I will continue working to deliver a budget that funds the government responsibly, aligns with our values, and tackles the out-of-control corruption we are seeing in Washington.\u201d\n\nLast week, the House of Representatives voted on a Senate Amendment to H.R. 6500 that would keep the government open. Vindman was proud to vote in favor of this amendment and stand with the dedicated federal workers and contractors who keep our government running.\n\nThe survey asked constituents whether they support keeping the government open and how concerned they would be about the impact of a government shutdown on federal workers and contractors in Virginia\u2019s Seventh District.\n\nBelow are responses submitted by Virginia\u2019s Seventh District residents who took the survey:\n\n\u2014\n\n\u201cMy husband is a government worker and primary income earner. We do not have the financial wherewithal to handle another government shutdown.\u201d \u2014 Caitlin, Prince William\n\n\u201cOur elected officials have a duty to ensure all essential services remain open. Federal employees should not have to live in fear of partisan politics.\u201d \u2014 Richard, Spotsylvania\n\n\u201cI am very concerned about how the people of Virginia would survive another government shut down.\u201d \u2014 Dorothy, Caroline\n\n\u201cI retired last year to avoid being RIFed. I went through two long shutdowns as a federal employee. It is very stressful not knowing when you are going back to work and will be paid. These shutdowns have to stop.\u201d \u2014 Dinna, Spotsylvania\n\nBACKGROUND\n\nVindman has long been a champion for federal workers and contractors.\n\nDuring the October 2025 government shutdown, Vindman asked the U.S. House of Representatives\u2019 Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to withhold his salary for the duration of the shutdown.\n\nIn March 2025, Vindman introduced bipartisan legislation that would block Members of Congress from receiving their pay during a government shutdown.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-11T09:25:29Z", "2026-09-11T09:27:08Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://vindman.house.gov/2026/09/10/vindman-hears-from-the-84-of-virginians-who-support-keeping-the-government-open/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 4.227675031870604, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}