RUFUS – Rep. and former House Speaker Nolan Burmaster has resigned his seat as the Representative for New Shire’s 19th Congressional District a role he held since 2022. Burmaster was appointed by New Shire Governor David Rivera to succeed the late Senator Larry Cofelt in the Jesstopian Senate following his death on July 27.

Burmaster announced his resignation from the House during a regularly scheduled meeting of the House on July 30, 2026, requested that Speaker Gregory Harks give him the floor for 30 minutes to announce his resignation and give his farewell address. In his address to the full House, he said it was an “honor and privilege to serve the great people of New Shire’s 19th District,” and to be able to “serve in this great chamber of our Congress.”

“The past four years have been the best years of my life getting to serve the great people of the 19th District and getting to work in the halls of this historic building,” said Rep. Nolan Burmaster. “It was an honor and privilege to serve the great people of New Shire’s 19th District and to be able to serve in this great chamber of our Congress.”

Burmaster said that he is hopeful for the future of the Congress and the nation and said he hopes to live up to the man Larry Cofelt was and hopes to make him proud. Burmaster was appointed by then-New Shire Governor Mark Maulkinkski to fill the vacancy left in the 19th District following the resignation of then-Representative Brian Whittier.

Even more, the life-long friends and colleagues on both the Nationalist and Republican side of the aisle,” continued Rep. Burmaster. “Now with my time ending in this great chamber headed to the Senate, the partnerships I have forged with those who previously or currently disagree with me will forever carry on my mission for dedicate public service and to make Sen. Cofelt proud and work as hard as he did for the last 15+ years of his life. I am excited to see where this chamber and next chapter lead.”

Under Congressional rules, a member of Congress from either Chamber must resign from their current seat “no later than 24 hours before taking or assuming office of another federal office, seat or chair.” This rule mandates that Rep. Burmaster resigned before he is set to be sworn in as the 2nd Senator from New Shire on Sunday, August 2, 2026.

“Nolan Burmaster will take office on Sunday August 2, 2026, at 8:00 AM, with a special Senate session taking place at 8:00 AM,” said House Interim Minority Leader Vicky White. “Vice President Cole Bindle is scheduled to deliver his oath of office and will deliver and announce him into the chamber.”

The Senate is in recess until the late Senator Cofelt is laid to rest, which is scheduled for tomorrow, the last day to view his body at the JS capitol building. Senate Majority Leader Harry Rodham suspended Senate activity on Tuesday to allow for mourners to view Cofelt and out of respect to the office he served for decades.