The routine threat, and occasional occurrence, of federal government shutdowns has not served anyone well.
The process ends up providing temporary disruption of federal government functions that are nonetheless significant for those affected, including everything from border security to medical research. Even the threat of shutdowns increases costs and wastes the effort of having to develop contingency plans.
Shutdown politics almost always results in a last-minute budget-busting “omnibus” bill that is crafted in secret with little detail available to the public, or even many lawmakers, until shortly before it receives a vote.
We’re always driven to these crisis situations by partisan brinkmanship. Both sides claim to have leverage, but the reality is the ticking clock favors the people loading up massive bills with more spending, more crony carve-outs, and more junk they know their colleagues are never going to read. If anything, the perennial shutdown threats have given them cover to operate with impunity.
Americans deserve better. A group of legislators has offered a better path forward with the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act (PGSA). Unfortunately, the Senate has thus far failed to act. The House should waste no time passing this legislation and return it to the Senate to correct its mistake.
The PGSA would take shutdown crisis scenarios off the table for good by automatically maintaining current spending levels during budget stalemates until the enactment of new appropriations legislation.
It would also encourage Congress to pass appropriations bills by keeping both chambers in session every day, barring the use of
