Congressman Guest Prioritizes Cost of Living Issues

Passing annual appropriations bills and focusing on cost of living for Mississippi residents are top priorities for Rep. Michael Guest.

Published on Feb. 3, 2026

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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. Guest serves the 3rd District that includes Jefferson Davis County. He said funding for the Department of Homeland Security is included in one of 12 large appropriations bills Congress is tasked with passing each year, and failure to pass legislation funding the federal government will cause a government shutdown. Guest also 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.

Why it matters

Funding the federal government, including agencies like FEMA and the Coast Guard, is critical to ensuring government services continue uninterrupted, especially during times of natural disasters. Additionally, addressing the rising cost of living is a key concern for many Americans, and Congressman Guest's focus on this issue could lead to policies and legislation aimed at reducing financial strain on households.

The details

Guest said funding for the Department of Homeland Security is included in one of 12 large appropriations bills Congress must pass each year. Six of those 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. Failure to pass legislation funding the federal government will cause a government shutdown, impacting federal workers, the military, and others. Guest also said he believes there is interest from both Democratic and Republican sides to ease tensions and find workable solutions on immigration and homeland security issues.

  • Congress is tasked with passing 12 large appropriations bills each year.
  • Six of the 12 appropriations bills have passed the House and Senate and been signed by the president.
  • The other six appropriations bills have passed the House and await action in the Senate.

The players

Congressman Michael Guest

A U.S. Representative serving Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District, which includes Jefferson Davis County.

Tom Homan

The former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who was sent by the president to Minneapolis to help ease tensions.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Congressman Michael Guest (prentissheadlight.com)

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

— Congressman Michael Guest (prentissheadlight.com)

What’s next

Congressman Guest and his colleagues in Congress will need to work to pass the remaining appropriations bills to avoid a government shutdown, while also focusing on policies to address the rising cost of living for Americans.

The takeaway

Congressman Guest's priorities of passing annual appropriations bills and addressing cost of living issues for his constituents in Mississippi reflect the broader challenges facing Congress and the American people, including the need for stable government funding and relief from economic pressures.