House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington suddenly announced Tuesday he is resigning from Congress.
Arrington will not seek reelection in 2026, leaving D.C. after a decade of service on Capitol Hill and helping shepherd President Donald Trump’s signature tax bill into law.
The Texas Republican told Fox News he believes in citizen leadership and temporary service in Congress.
“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 53-year-old congressman said he is leaving on a high note after playing a key role in crafting and passing Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.
“It was a very unique, generational impact opportunity, to be almost 10 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.”
“Let me be clear, I haven’t lost an ounce of passion for promoting West Texas values in Washington or a shred of fight for defending our freedoms and way of life, but I believe it’s time for this chapter in my journey to come to an end,” Arrington said.
The West Texas Republican represents the 19th Congressional District, which includes Lubbock and Abilene. The district voted for Trump by a 52-point margin in 2024, his best performance in all 38 Texas congressional districts. The heavily Republican district is unlikely to flip to Democrats in the 2026 midterms.
Arrington’s announcement came just eight days after President Trump endorsed him for reelection. Trump praised Arrington on Truth Social, saying “As the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, Jodey knows the America First Policies required to Create GREAT Jobs, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Advance American Energy DOMINANCE, and Champion our Nation’s Golden Age.”
Arrington said he plans to continue pushing for further fiscal reforms during his remaining year on Capitol Hill, including another upcoming budget reconciliation bill.