Posted on 01/12/2019 5:27:20 PM PST by Kaslin
A group of conservative Senators on Friday introduced legislation to permanently keep the federal government open and prevent future shutdowns. The End Government Shutdowns would automatically create continually resolutions, which continues funding agencies even when politicians are debating on the budget.
The bill is sponsored by Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, who has introduced the legislation every year since he was elected to the Senate in 2010, Deseret News reported. Sens. Steve Daines (MT), Mike Lee (UT), Lisa Murkowski (AK), Chuck Grassley (IA), Johnny Isakson (GA), Mike Enzi (WY), John Barrasso (WY), and Jim Risch (ID) have all signed onto the bill.
The reason the bill has come forward is simple: Portman wants lawmakers to create budgets while discouraging "last-minute, haphazard stopgap" measures, like continuing resolutions.
"This 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," Portman said in a statement.
"And it provides stability and predictability without allowing Congress to pat ourselves on the back for averting a self-made crisis," Lee said. "Shutdowns create instability and unpredictability not only in government, but also for many families and businesses that interact with the federal government. Shutdowns are not a responsible way to govern."
The bill would automatically create continuing resolutions for those regular appropriation bills that are not approved of by Oct 1. After the first 120 days, the funding would be reduced by one percent. It would then be reduced by one percent again every 90 days Congress fails to pass a spending bill.
The current government shutdown is the longest shutdown in U.S. history, with more than 800,000 federal government workers furloughed or working without pay.
The downside to this is there will be no budgets and congress will be even more incompetent and reckless
Throw away your only chip in the game.
Really need to get rid of these rinos.
By the time it got passed (or sometime later), the controls would be stripped out, and they will end up governing with permanent continuing resolutions (like during Obama), and only have to vote to put more new programs on top of the pile.
No!
This is another scam by elected officials to AVOID their sworn duties, and to sully their OATH.
This should be around post 46. It’s quite disappointing that so many of the commenters haven’t read the article. I think a 4% annual reduction in the US government spending is a great idea.
Left, Right & Center Congress’ biggest problem is doing their constitutional duty. Can’t pass a budget? Punt by having a continuing resolution.
.
Completely unconstitutional. Every appropriation of Congress must be devoted every 2 years.
So getting back at federal workers is more important then the wall!
It think you are a ....... quisling.
Change the 120 day and 90 day periods to 30 and 15, and change the 1% to 10% and you’ve got something.
Another insightful post!
It shows you put a lot of thought into it.
I think it’s high time they felt some economic pain. It still isn’t close to what folks in private sector suffer. They will NOT lose a job and will be paid for time missed.
--LeonardFMason
Nobody on FR ever reads the article. I think it’s a step in the right direction. This “crisis” that we have every couple of years is ridiculous and makes the US look completely dysfunctional. Chuck and Nancy clearly do not want to negotiate, if they even know what the word means, and it would be great to take this staged shut-down out of their arsenal of underhanded plays. In fact, out of both parties’ arsenals, because it’s stupid and non-productive.
Lisa Gollum ain’t no conservative.
Bump
Eliminate the major item of leverage that exists between the two parties and the factions of the WH and the Congress? They, the Congress can really sit on their asses if this gets put in place. What a bunch of criminal cowards they are to come up with such a slimy idea.
Wonderful. So these Republicans are that dumb to throw away the only weapon they may have left when they again become a three house minority group What dummies.
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