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Washington D.C.- U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC), chairman of the Senate Steering Committee, Congressman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), chairman of the Republican Study Committee, and Congressman John Campbell (R-CA), today introduced the Government Shutdown Prevention Act. The legislation provides for an automatic continuing resolution in the event that Congress fails enact their appropriations bills on time.
“Despite promises of fiscal responsibility, Democrats have spent the year wastefully spending taxpayers’ money. Even though the President has made clear that he would not condone this reckless spending, Democrats continue to threaten to shut down the government to get their reckless spending increases,” said Hensarling. “The American people have paid for certain government services, and they do not deserve to have those services held hostage because Democrats in Washington demand more spending. What we are offering today is a compromise that we hope can bring Democrats, who want a huge increase in spending, and Conservatives, who want more accountable Washington spending, together. Any member of Congress who honestly wants to avoid a government shutdown should support this bill.”
“Big spenders insist on using the threat of closing down the government year after year to scare our seniors, veterans, and others so they can demand more runaway spending,” said Senator DeMint. “Congress should stop crying wolf on government shutdown and ensure that we have ample time to work out our differences on appropriations. Some may favor higher spending, but they shouldn’t be able to hold government services hostage until they get their pork. This bill could save billions in wasteful spending, prevent the need for tax hikes, give stability to our government agencies and their employees, and force Congress to spend based on national priorities. I believe we’d finally start finishing appropriations bills much earlier in the year if we take away the ability to force a ‘take it or leave it’ showdown at the end of session.”
“It is sad and disappointing that Congressional Democrats are so addicted to spending that they are willing to shut down the federal government in order to strong-arm Republicans into spending an additional $23 billion on pork,” said Congressman Campbell. “If Democrats are truly serious about negotiating our differences over spending, they should support this legislation and prevent federal services from being curtailed at current levels. I applaud Senator DeMint and Congressman Hensarling for having the foresight to introduce this important legislation, and encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support it.”
In January of 2007, Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) argued in favor of the threat of a shutdown on the Senate Floor: “If there is anything we need, it is the pressure to finish on time.” However, in the 22 out of the past 25 years, Congress has not finished appropriation bills by the October 1st end-of-the-fiscal-year deadline. Senate Democrat leaders have already admitted that appropriations bills will not be completed on time this year:
“Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has opened the door to a schedule that would consume much of November and, if necessary, resume in December. ‘It is our hope and intention to complete our work before Thanksgiving,’ said Regan Lachapelle, a Reid spokeswoman.” (Congressional Quarterly, “Democrats Mull Stopgap Spending Bills as Fiscal New Year Approaches” 09/17/07)
The President and the Democrat Congress are $23 billion apart on the FY 2008 appropriations bills. Of the twelve House-passed bills, the President has issued veto threats on ten of them. Congress is headed for a difficult series of discussions in the months ahead. These discussions needlessly will take place amidst the threat of a government shutdown when there is always a fair compromise—an automatic clean continuing resolution. Democrats want more spending than what a clean CR would provide, but conservatives generally want less spending.
How the Government Shutdown Prevention Act Works:
• The bill provides for an automatic clean continuing resolution in the event that Congress otherwise fails to provide spending authority by either enacting appropriations bills or a continuing resolution.
• If Congress fails to otherwise make provisions to keep the government open, the continuing resolution would become effective on the day spending authority lapses.
• The spending level for each program would be set at the lower of the spending level provided in the previous fiscal year, or the House and Senate approved spending bills, as has become routine.
• The automatic, fallback continuing resolution would lapse as soon as Congress finishes work on the appropriations bills or a new continuing resolution is enacted.
President Bush has included the need for an automatic continuing resolution to prevent a government shutdown in each budget he has sent Congress in the last six years.
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