Rep. Guest says appropriations, cost of living highest priorities

Published 3:46 pm Thursday, January 29, 2026

Mississippi Congressman Michael Guest said passing annual appropriations bills and focusing on cost of living issues for Mississippi residents will be his priorities in the immediate future as another funding fight looms on the horizon in Washington.

Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked a funding package for the Department of Homeland Security over immigration enforcement actions by President Donald Trump. Two people have been shot and killed by federal officers during and enforcement surge in Minneapolis, Minnesota, drawing thousands of protesters to the city.

Guest said funding for the Department of Homeland Security is included in one of 12 large appropriations bills Congress is tasked with passing each year. Of those 12, six bills have passed the House and Senate and been signed by the president, while the other six have passed the House and await action in the Senate.

Without funding, a partial government shutdown could go into effect Friday. A shutdown impacts the lives of federal workers, those serving in the military and others who are either furloughed or must work without pay until the shutdown is lifted.

“We’ve got to get back to regular order. We’ve got to get back to Congress doing the job that we were sent to do, and one thing that we’re supposed to do each and every year is to pass a budget, and we’ve got to get back on track,” he said.

Guest, who serves on the Homeland Security Committee, said he was glad to see the president send Border Czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis to ease tensions. A longtime federal law enforcement officer, Homan is someone who can connect with both the locals and federal officers and act as a bridge, he said.

“I think he’s somebody that can bring that temperature down, which is what we need to see,” he said.

Funding for the Department of Homeland Security, however, goes well beyond actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and impacts many other departments and agencies in the federal government. Included in the funding is money for FEMA, the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Patrol, the Secret Service, TSA and more.

“In a time in which most of the country is digging out of a snowstorm, ice storm, we have the possibility of FEMA employees not getting paid during this government shutdown,” he said. “So it’s important for us to be able to, and I say us as Congress, to find a way to make sure that we’re funding the Department of Homeland Security.”

Guest said he believes there is interest from both Democratic and Republican sides to ease tensions and find workable solutions. It’s just a matter of getting there.

While a large portion of the immigration and homeland security front plays out in cities, efforts at the southern border to reduce illegal immigration have been seeing success. Guest said roughly 10,000 illegal border crossings were reported in December 2025, which is down from approximately 300,000 two years before.

“We have gone from what we saw was a humanitarian crisis on the border with the surge of individuals coming across to what we have seen now, which is a very secure border,” he said.

The decrease in reported crossings also comes as DHS reports an increase in narcotics and other illegal drugs being seized. Guest said that points to lower immigrant crossings freeing up Border Patrol and customs officers to carry out law enforcement duties. In addition to land crossings, he said border patrol is also working closely with the Coast Guard to crack down on drugs entering the United States through maritime channels as well.

In addition to funding the government, several local projects are also set to receive funding in the appropriations bills the House passed. Guest said approximately $1.5 million is included for the city of Meridian for a water capacity project in the medical district. The project would add water storage capabilities to guarantee needed water pressure for certain medical procedures, he said.

Also included in the bills are $2 million for the town of Marion for road projects and $4 million for Clarke County to put towards repairs on the Archusa Lake Dam.

“These bills are important because not only do they fund, in some cases, large government agencies, but there’s also specific Mississippi projects that are included in this funding,” he said.

After passing the appropriations bills, Guest said attention in the House will turn toward cost of living for Americans and making sure Congress is doing what it can to help lower costs as much as possible. The nation has seen indicators of a good economy with inflation down, unemployment staying steady and GDP up 4.5%. Gas prices have also fallen to a five year low, he said.

“And so there are some good economic indicators that we are seeing on the horizon, but it is important for Congress, in my opinion, to focus on those costs of living issues,” Guest said.

One area where Congress may be able to help is healthcare costs. Rising healthcare costs are one of the leading causes of national debt, which now stands at around $38 trillion, and stepping in to reduce those costs for Americans is something that needs to be explored.

Guest said the goal is that reduced living costs, coupled with legislation passed last year to give tax deductions for seniors, employees who receive tips and employees working overtime, and a growing economy will lessen the financial strain for Americans.

“And so that’s going to be the primary focus according to leadership, and I agree with that,” he said. “What can we do to reduce costs? What can we do to make sure that individuals are keeping more of their paycheck and that they’re not paying a huge percentage in federal taxes?”