Press Releases

Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, U.S. Representative Don Beyer, and House Committee on Oversight Ranking Member Jamie Raskin announced their introduction of the End Shutdowns Act, legislation to prevent government shutdowns and the senseless pain they inflict on federal employees, government contractors, and millions of Americans who rely on government services. In an effort to take that option away, this bill would initiate an automatic continuing resolution on October 1 if no appropriations bill is passed by that date. It would also stop other legislation from advancing, outside of an emergency scenario, until Congress reached an agreement on a long-term spending deal.

“Government shutdowns have disastrous consequences for federal employees and government contractors and slow down critical government services that millions of Americans rely on like getting replacement Social Security cards and food inspections. But politicians continue to use or threaten to use government shutdowns as a negotiating tactic,” said Senator Kaine. “This is unacceptable, which is why I’m reintroducing my bill to prevent government shutdowns.”

“Government shutdowns are destructive for the federal workforce and the country, no good can come from them, and Congress should not allow them to happen,” said Representative Beyer. “Intentionally shuttering the government of the most powerful country on earth is foolish, weakening and embarrassing America on the world stage. It also does lasting damage to our economy and inflicts harrowing uncertainty on millions of civil servants and their families, many of whom live far from Washington. Congress should permanently take the threat of a government shutdown off the table, which is what our commonsense bill would do.”

Text of the End Shutdowns Act is available here.