U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Steve Daines (R-MT), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Mike Enzi (R-WY), John Barrasso (R-WY), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today introduced legislation – the End Government Shutdowns Act – that will permanently prevent the federal government from shutting down, ensuring that essential government services aren’t disrupted and protecting taxpayers who must bear the resulting cost. The measure will create an automatic continuing resolution (CR) for any regular appropriations bill or existing CR, keeping the federal government open when budget negotiations falter before key spending deadlines.
If the government shuts down so does pay for legislators.
“It’s disappointing that both sides didn’t resolve this matter weeks ago. Shutdowns inevitably costs taxpayers more money once the government reopens. I hope that both parties come together and reach an agreement that brings a resolution to this issue as quickly as possible,” Portman said. “Moving forward, we should end government shutdowns for good. This bipartisan legislation will accomplish that goal, providing lawmakers with more time to reach a responsible resolution to budget negotiations, giving federal workers and their families more stability, and ensuring we avoid disruptions that ultimately hurt our economy, taxpayers and working families.”
The only person(s) that should lose in a shutdown are the legislators.
“It costs money to shut down the government and it costs more money to reopen it. When the government shuts down, Americans are deprived of essential services and their tax dollars are needlessly wasted. Shutdowns also erode the trust between citizens and their government. This legislation would help ensure that policy stalemates and political interests would no longer get in the way of government’s duty to serve the American people. It would also create additional certainty and confidence in the government’s ability to function on behalf of the citizens it serves,” Grassley said.
Government should not pay for no work.
“Shutdowns don’t work. Yet we’re seeing them happen time and time again,” Daines said. “The End Government Shutdowns Act will hold Congress accountable to funding the government and ensure that hardworking folks aren’t paying the price for the partisan, political games being played in DC.”
Same words shouldn't they be held accountable?
“It is wrong to continue the constant threat of a government shutdown, and Americans should expect their government to function and budget responsibly,” said Isakson. “Too often, last-minute omnibus bills do little to address out-of-control spending, while shutdowns cut off essential federal government services and force Americans to bear the burden of Congress' dysfunction. This is the one proposal in Washington that will work to end these irresponsible shutdowns that harm Georgians and Americans."
“Shutting down the government disrupts lives both inside and outside the government,” Enzi said. “We could avoid future shutdowns altogether if Congress would pass the End Government Shutdowns Act.”
“Shutting down the government, even partially, never benefits anyone,” said Barrasso. “Americans shouldn’t have to suffer uncertainty or go without a paycheck because Congress failed to fund the government. This legislation will help put an end to unnecessary shutdowns in the future.”
I suggest the, "Do Your Job and Don't Blame Others Act" Same goes for the current immigration problem.
“Shutting down the government is the complete opposite of what we were elected to do - govern. I have cosponsored this legislation year after year and hope we can finally move it forward. Real people with real problems get caught in the balance of government shutdowns and we need to act for them and for the sake of government efficiency. I would prefer to see a smaller and less intrusive government than what we have, but regardless it needs to operate,” said Risch.
Governing is not saving folks. It is how to perpetuate my "sweet" government job. They should be asking, how do I make my constituents think I care about their safety?
“Shutdowns are not a responsible way to govern. They create instability and unpredictability not only in our government, but also for the many families and businesses that interact with the federal government,” Lee said. “Sen. Portman’s End Government Shutdowns Act strikes a necessary balance between incentivizing good budgeting habits while discouraging last-minute, haphazard stopgap funding measures. And it provides stability and predictability without allowing Congress to pat ourselves on the back for averting a self-made crisis.”
“The ripple effect of a government shutdown has consequences for all Alaskans-- most directly on the thousands of federal employees and tens of thousands more that rely on our federal agencies,” said Senator Murkowski. “This legislation permanently ends government shutdowns with a commonsense solution to avoid a funding lapse, ensuring the jobs and livelihoods of federal workers and contractors are not held hostage during political disputes. For the sake of our federal employees, their families, and our nation, I’m proud to support the End Government Shutdowns Act.”
NOTE: The End Government Shutdowns Act will create an automatic continuing resolution (CR) for any regular appropriations bill not completed by the October 1 deadline. After the first 120 days, CR funding will be reduced by one percent and would be reduced by one percent again every 90 days thereafter until Congress does its job and completes the annual appropriations process. Portman has introduced this legislation in every Congress since he was first elected to the United States Senate in 2010.
How about a term limit bill and a requirement to work 20 years to get a pension? Personally, no one should retire as a legislator in my opinion. They are over paid!!!!!!!!!!
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Jan hits on a topic that has "bi-partisan" support. We often hear politicians talking about "the need to come together on legislation with bi-partisan support." Well I have one, 70% of Americans--regardless of politics--believe in putting term limits on politicians. Why don't we have that? Governors serve 8 years, Presidents serve 8 years and somehow the politicians in the legislative branches have managed to make careers in politics.
Look, I like "Uncle" Don Young, he was the "Trump of Alaska" before Trump ever came along, however no matter how lovable and great your politics are, no man (or lady) should be serving in a political capacity for 45 years! Don Young was elected in 1973.
I have a strong opinion on this subject, politics is a public service in the same regard as a military individual is serving the public (albeit in a more dangerous capacity). The idea being that you go into the respective fields out of a sense of MORAL duty and OBLIGATION to your country. You serve in the military for X-amount of years and then you retire, likewise politicians should also be held to the same standards and serve X-amount of years and retire (and not with a life-long pension either). After all, why is it that a politician can send our sons and daughters to die on some foreign soil 2,000 miles away and not bear any consequences for their decisions?
At what point does a politician no longer run for election due to MORAL duty and instead runs for personal egotistical reasons?
The question I would like to pose to you dear reader,
How Many Years Should a Representative Serve?
How Many Years Should a Senator Serve?
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