Congressional internships in Washington, D.C., have traditionally been unpaid. While some Texans in Congress have paid some of their interns in the past, those opportunities were not always well-publicized.
Cinco Puntos Press has been publishing books that invoke a "sensibility of border life" for decades, including the only book authored, in part, by O'Rourke.
But multiple Republican senators joined Democrats in backing the resolution, which passed the Senate. President Donald Trump has said he'll veto the measure.
The San Antonio Democrat portrayed the resolution as a defense of the separation of powers among government branches. While Sen. John Cornyn said he will oppose the resolution, Sen. Ted Cruz was less clear on his stance.
Raising warnings of out-of-control illegal immigration and soaring crime by immigrants — including debunked claims about El Paso's crime — the president tried to pressure Congress to end a stalemate over border wall funding and avert another government shutdown.
The bill, written to to prevent members of Congress from lobbying if they use taxpayer funds without paying them back, would not affect state employees — like Blake Farenthold.
When asked whether the stalemate over President Trump's border wall is worth federal employees missing their paychecks, Texans in Congress appear to be divided along party lines — save for Republican U.S. Rep. Will Hurd.