With a possible government shutdown looming, legislators on both sides of the aisle, particularly in the Senate, have signaled that new legislation may be necessary to prevent shutdowns.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) has joined that group and is helping to cosponsor a bill that is designed to take government shutdowns off the table and mandate that members of Congress stay in Washington until spending bills are completed

“Shutdowns don’t accomplish anything,” said Tuberville. “Where I come from, you stay at work until you get the job done. Congress should be forced to stay in D.C. until we pass a responsible, fiscally conservative budget.”

The bill, the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2023, would, in the event of a lapse in government funding, implement an automatic continuing resolution on rolling 14-day extensions, 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:
• Members of the House and Senate
• Committee and personal staff of the House and Senate
• White House OMB staff and leadership
• 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
• No motions to recess or adjourn in the House or Senate for a
  period or more than 23 hours

Also, no other votes would be in order in the House or Senate unless they pertain to passage of an appropriations bills or mandatory quorum calls in the Senate. After 30 days, however, 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.

The Prevent Government Shutdowns Act has been endorsed by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, FreedomWorks, National Taxpayers Union, Americans for Prosperity, America First Policy Institute, and Americans for Tax Reform.

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.

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