U.S. Senators Katie Britt, James, Lankford, Maggie Hassan, Colleagues Reintroduce Legislation to End Government Shutdowns and Hold Congress Accountable

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-Ala.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and several of their colleagues reintroduced the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2026 , which would take government shutdowns off the table and force Congress to stay in town until their work is done. “Alabamians sent me to the Senate to work on their behalf and deliver results— not participate in the business-as-usual practices that have led to an unsustainable national deficit and even more out-of-control spending. Government shutdowns benefit no one and are often used as a political threat to prevent us from reining in spending, ultimately continuing the same irresponsible policies that created this mess in the first place. We must make Washington work again, and this bill is a step in the right direction,” said Senator Britt. The Prevent Government Shutdowns Act requires that if appropriations work is not done on time, all members of Congress must stay in Washington, DC, and work until the spending bills are completed. This will prevent a government-wide shutdown, continue critical services and operations for Americans, and hold federal workers harmless while Congress completes appropriations. “Americans are tired of worthless government shutdown drama and Congress using federal workers and government services as pawns in political standoffs,” said Senator Lankford . “The Prevent Government Shutdowns Act ends government shutdowns forever with a simple idea: if Congress doesn’t do its job, Congress doesn’t get to go home. We shift the pressure off the American people and onto the people they elected. We came within three votes of passing this before, and it is time to finish the job.” Upon a lapse in government funding, the bill would implement an automatic continuing resolution (CR) on rolling 14-day periods, based on the most current spending levels enacted in the previous fiscal year. This would prevent a shutdown and continue critical services and operations. During the covered period of an automatic CR, the following restrictions are put in place. No taxpayer-funded travel allowances for official business (except one flight to return to Washington, DC) for the following individuals; white House OMB staff and leadership, members of the House and Senate, committee and personal staff of the House and Senate. There will be no official funds may be used for CODEL or STAFFDEL travel, no use of campaign funds by congressional offices to supplement official duties or travel expenses, and no motions to recess or adjourn in the House/Senate for a period of more than 23 hours “Government shutdowns are costly, avoidable, and make people in New Hampshire and across the country pay the price for the failures of Congress,” said Senator Hassan . “This commonsense, bipartisan bill incentivizes Congress to fund the government on time and ensures that there is a plan in place to protect families and our economy if Congress cannot come to an agreement.” In addition, under the bill, no other votes would be in order in the House and Senate unless they pertain to passage of the appropriations bills or mandatory quorum calls in the Senate. However, after 30 days under the automatic CR, certain expiring authorization bills and executive calendar nominations would be eligible for consideration on the Senate floor, including a nomination for a Justice of the Supreme Court or a Cabinet Secretary, and narrow reauthorization legislation for programs operating under an authorization that has already expired or will expire within the next 30 days. These restrictions can be waived by a two-thirds vote in either chamber, but not for longer than seven days. Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), John Kennedy (R-La.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) also cosponsor this legislation. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), Americans for Prosperity (AFP), International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), Partnership for Public Service (PPS), Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), and the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) support the bill. You can read the full text of the bill here . Senator Britt introduced this legislation last fall. She has also supported legislation to withhold congressional pay during government shutdowns and is a strong advocate for passing the No Shutdown Paychecks to Politicians Act . During the first historic full government shutdown of the 119 th Congress, Senator Britt voluntarily withheld receiving her paycheck, and also did so during the partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. ###