If Congress can’t pass an appropriations bill to continue funding the federal government by the start of the next fiscal year soon, it shuts down.
Rep. Dusty Johnson is introducing a bill he hopes can curb that possibility.
“Shutdowns are stupid. Whether it’s the Democrats that do it or the Republicans that do it, it just it does not make America stronger," Johnson said, sharing his opinion on the potential the government could shut down soon.
In order to prevent that, he’s introduced a bill called the Eliminate Shutdowns Act. In the event Congress can’t agree on a spending bill, an automatic 14-day Continuing Resolution, or CR, is triggered. He explains what he hopes his bill would do.
“If the knuckleheads in DC don’t get their act together, we’re just going to have an automatic, 14-day CR. That’s just a level funding. We’re not going to cut a bunch of stuff. We’re not going to spend a bunch more money," Johnson said. "We’re just going to hit pause and fund the government for two weeks while the politicians get their act together. If we fail again, you get another 14-day CR. To me that’s going to take away, it’s going to make sure the politicians understand that they’re not going to get a better deal by shutting the government down.”
He called the bill “good policy.”
“Because it makes sure that inaction by the politicians don’t cause our men and women in uniform, and our retirees and our federal employees, and everybody to be punished because Congress doesn’t get to yes," Johnson said. "There is bipartisan support building for it.”
Johnson said the hope is to have the Eliminate Government Shutdowns Act passed before Oct. 1.
“So, we could avoid the pain of a shutdown. Ideally, we’d reach an agreement and fund the government for the next year like we’re supposed to," Johnson said. "So, in absence of that, let’s avoid the shutdown by passing my bill.”
If Congress can’t get the appropriations bill passed by the time the clock strikes 12 a.m. on Wednesday Oct. 1, the federal government will shut down. So far, efforts to get something through both chambers have failed.
