WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) introduced a bill in Congress Wednesday that would possibly help put a quick end future government shutdowns.
The End Shutdowns Act essentially starts a resolution in Congress on Oct. 1 if no appropriations bill is passed by that date.
The resolution would stop the Senate from moving forward or deciding on any other piece of legislation until they reached a long-term spending deal. This, of course, excludes emergency situations.
“For 35 days, federal employees, government contractors, and millions of Americans who rely on government services were used as pawns by a President who did not care about the pain he was causing,” said Kaine. “This legislation will take the power away from a President or any chamber of Congress to use government shutdowns as a negotiating tactic ever again. We owe it to hardworking civil servants to eliminate their fears of another shutdown that leaves them with $0 paychecks and mounting bills.”
This bill is one of many pieces of legislation that Congress members are considering to address how to prevent shutdowns in the future. Kaine hopes the bill will be included in a bipartisan deal that will hopefully be reached by Feb. 15 before another shutdown occurs.
Virginia Senator Mark Warner introduced a bill taking on this issue last week called the Stop STUPIDITY Act.
