Every few months, Washington reaches another budget deadline, and one side threatens to shut down the government.
On July 22, the House Appropriations Committee held a hearing to explore ways to reform the broken government funding process and prevent future shutdowns. The hearing put a spotlight on a solution that Americans for Prosperity has worked to advance: the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act.
Government funding fights might happen in Congress, but we all feel the consequences.
- Federal workers miss paychecks
- Military families face uncertainty
- Small businesses waiting on permits or contracts are left in limbo
- Communities depending on federal services are affected
That is no way to govern.
Government shutdowns do not solve problems. They create new ones, waste taxpayer dollars, and turn ordinary Americans into leverage in a political fight they did not start.
The Prevent Government Shutdowns Act offers a better way.
Shutdown threats reward dysfunction
For years, Congress has operated from crisis to crisis. Lawmakers wait until the last minute, leaders assemble massive spending packages behind closed doors, and members are pressured to vote yes because the alternative is a government shutdown.
Instead of promoting good-faith dialogue in Washington, this process encourages rushed decisions, larger spending packages, and greater public distrust.
The result is a disruption across defense, border security, disaster response, medical research, and more. And it’s all for nothing.
The recent House Appropriations Committee hearing on shutdown reform made the human cost clear. Transportation Security Administration workers reported for duty without pay, federal contractors were left waiting for compensation, Coast Guard personnel were unable to operate normally, and disaster recovery efforts slowed when communities needed help most.
The bottom line? Congress fails to deliver a budget, and everyday Americans pay the price.
The Prevent Government Shutdowns Act changes the incentives
The Prevent Government Shutdowns Act would keep the government open while requiring Congress to finish its work.
If lawmakers fail to reach funding agreements on time, current funding levels would continue in 14-day increments.
Federal services would continue operating, workers would continue to be paid, and families and businesses wouldn’t be caught in the middle of another Washington standoff.
But Congress wouldn’t get a free pass.
Lawmakers would be required to remain in Washington, stay in session, and focus on completing appropriations until the work is done. That shifts pressure away from federal workers and back onto the people responsible for funding the government.
Congress would still have strong reasons to pass new appropriations every year.
Inflation, population changes, national security needs, emergencies, and shifting priorities all require lawmakers to update spending decisions. The act simply removes shutdowns as a political weapon.
Some states already use automatic continuing appropriations, including North Carolina, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin.
Those states still pass regular budgets. What they don’t do is force families and public services to absorb the cost when negotiations run late.
Americans want Congress to do its job
A recent YouGov poll commissioned by AFP showed that Americans agree.
- 80% of registered voters said Congress should vote on the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act
- 81% supported requiring lawmakers to remain in Washington until the budget is finished
- 66% said they would be more likely to vote for a politician who supported the legislation.
That support crosses party lines because the principle is simple: Americans should not pay the price when Congress fails to meet a deadline.
The Prevent Government Shutdowns Act will not fix every problem in the federal budget process. But it would end one of Washington’s most damaging habits, protect Americans from unnecessary disruption, and make lawmakers stay at work until they finish the job.
Read the full poll results to see how voters view the proposal, then explore our myth-versus-fact breakdown to learn more about how the bill would work.
