Senator Ron Johnson Challenges Shutdown Politics
Senator Ron Johnson from Wisconsin is taking a bold step to eradicate shutdowns as a bargaining tool in Congressional budget discussions. His recent warnings underscore a persistent issue: both parties have manipulated the threat of a shutdown to push through bloated spending that stretches beyond reasonable limits.
“Unfortunately, uniparty appropriators want the leverage of shutdowns — using government workers and the public as pawns in order to pass spending bills that we can’t afford,” Johnson stated, emphasizing the detrimental impact of shutdown politics.
In response to this concern, he has introduced the Eliminate Government Shutdowns Act in the Senate, complementing a similar bill put forth in the House. This proposed legislation aims to automatically fund the federal government at last year’s levels if Congress fails to meet appropriations deadlines. Johnson’s effort seeks to diminish the use of shutdown threats in negotiations.
“Congress should pass my Eliminate Shutdowns Act — or at least my Shutdown Fairness Act — to ensure the government continues functioning to minimize the harm of congressional dysfunction,” Johnson added.
History shows that the United States has faced significant disruption due to shutdowns since 1980, with 21 such events occurring. The most extended shutdown from late 2018 to early 2019 lasted a staggering 35 days. This shutdown affected over 800,000 federal employees and cost the economy approximately $11 billion, as reported by the Congressional Budget Office.
Johnson’s bill proposes an automatic continuing resolution that would fund government operations for two weeks at prior fiscal year levels if an appropriations deadline is missed. This funding would renew every 14 days until new budget agreements are reached. Furthermore, it allows heads of federal agencies to shift a small percentage of funds to address critical operations during this auto-CR period.
The approach aims to cut down the political theatrics that often accompany shutdown deadlines. These scenarios frequently lead to last-minute omnibus bills that are packed with unrelated earmarks and rushed spending clauses, often passed with minimal debate and oversight. Critics contend that this environment leads to an unacceptable level of legislative opacity.
Johnson’s companion in the House, Rep. Dusty Johnson, echoed this sentiment, stating, “Shutdowns are stupid, and everyone knows it. The Eliminate Shutdowns Act will keep the government open so it can work for you, not against you.”
Supporters of the initiative argue that it will eliminate the fear that government workers could be laid off or forced to work without compensation, a fate endured during previous shutdowns. For example, past shutdowns have resulted in air traffic controller shortages and backlogs at the IRS, crippling essential government functions.
Programs like Social Security and Medicare continue their operations during shutdowns, but many other functions become stalled. The proposed automatic mechanism means that Congress would not need to renegotiate terms each time a shutdown looms. This stability might restore some reliability to government processes.
Since 2019, Johnson has advocated for similar reforms, and his latest push arrives amid rising concerns over federal spending and inevitable debt accumulation. The national debt has surpassed a staggering $33 trillion, with annual deficits exceeding $1.5 trillion. There is escalating pressure for lawmakers to make sensible budget decisions that prioritize transparency and fiscal responsibility.
However, Johnson’s strategy has attracted skepticism from some quarters. Watchdog groups, such as the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, caution that automatic continued resolutions could cement outdated funding agendas. They argue that such a system might hinder efforts to modernize key programs, resulting in a stagnant funding model.
Despite criticisms, the current budgeting process faces scrutiny. The habit of drafting sweeping omnibus bills, often stretching thousands of pages, leaves lawmakers scrambling to digest legislation while stifling robust debate. Johnson maintains that this frantic pace is counterproductive and intentional, used by establishment politicians to manipulate outcomes.
The Eliminate Shutdowns Act proposes to decouple shutdown threats from fiscal negotiations, reducing the pressure that prompts legislators to reach late-night agreements under duress. By ensuring funding continuity, the bill seeks to minimize public suffering associated with governmental dysfunction.
Some in Congress are showing interest in bipartisan solutions to this issue. Past attempts to advance similar legislation have stalled due to political hesitance. However, with the trust in Congress at an all-time low, the attention on potential reforms like Johnson’s may shift dynamics.
While the Eliminate Shutdowns Act sits introduced but unadvanced in committee, its presence sheds light on a vital pathway to stable government funding. Johnson has also circulated the Shutdown Fairness Act, a proposal designed to enforce equal pay suspensions during funding lapses for Congress and the Executive Branch alike.
Johnson’s critique of political tactics regarding government shutdowns resonates today, as he advocates for real change to avoid repeating the same cycle that impacts everyday Americans while allowing politicians to escape consequence.
“This is not about partisanship,” Johnson insists candidly. “It’s about ending a charade that both sides enable.”
The Eliminate Shutdowns Act aims to provide a stable legislative framework that keeps government operations steady while curbing the cycle of fiscal brinkmanship that has plagued Congress for years. Whether his peers will rally behind this proposal remains uncertain.
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