A restaurant owner in Harlingen is making sure that federal employees know that the community is supporting them amid the second-longest government shutdown.

On Tuesday, the BBQ restaurant Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em handed out over 100 meals to federal employees. 

“We understand that we have a lot of federal employees that have not gotten paid because of the shutdown, so we decided to be a blessing to them,” restaurant owner Juan De La Cruz said.

De La Cruz said he cooked all night to make sure everything was ready for the giveaway. A plate filled with BBQ chicken, rice, beans and bread was provided to the employees once they provided their government I.D.

Among those picking up a meal was U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Gustavo Reyes-Melendez. Reyes-Melendez said he’s been working through the shutdown.

“I don’t know if I’m actually going to get paid or not,” Reyes-Melendez said. “The fact they're going out of their ways to actually help out whoever is out there, having to work without getting paid, it speaks a lot from them.”

The next round of military paychecks are supposed to go out at the end of the month. On Tuesday, Vice President J.D. Vance said he believes troops will get paid on Friday, Oct. 31.

READ MORE: Vice President Vance says troops will be paid as pressure builds on Congress to end the shutdown

Reyes-Melendez said he just wants the uncertainty to end.

“I’m hoping this gets resolved sooner than later, 'cause we don't have an infinite amount of savings,” Reyes-Melendez said. 

Reyes-Melendez said he's been through government shutdowns before, but this one feels different.

“I don’t really [people saying] ‘we need to fix this,’” Reyes-Melendez said.

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