Fears of a government shutdown at the end of the month have prompted two Democrats to bring back a bill to prevent it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Wednesday, Virginia lawmakers Tim Kaine and Don Beyer reintroduced a bill that would avert government shutdowns by automatically triggering a short-term continuing resolution by Oct. 1 if Congress can\u2019t agree on a long-term spending measure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCongressman Beyer thinks there is unfortunately a very high probability that House Republicans will shut down the federal government, possibly as soon as a few weeks from now,\u201d said Aaron Fritschner, a spokesperson, in an email to Federal Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The draft legislation, if passed, would also bar the Senate from moving forward with any other legislation, outside of an emergency scenario, until a deal is reached.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Originally, the End Shutdowns Act<\/a> was introduced in 2019 following the last government shutdown that lasted 35 days and forced the furloughing of 38% of employees at agencies without an appropriation.<\/a> This year, with House Republicans demanding certain terms that are likely non-starters for Democrats<\/a>, experts have already said budget negotiations will be heated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Beyer\u2019s office said the timing of the proposed bill is specifically a response to the brewing threat of a shutdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGovernment shutdowns have disastrous consequences for federal employees and government contractors and slow down critical government services that millions of Americans rely on like getting replacement Social Security cards and food inspections,\u201d Kaine said in a statement. \u201cBut politicians continue to use or threaten to use government shutdowns as a negotiating tactic.<\/p>\n\n\n\t