[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 143 (Wednesday, September 6, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S4230]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KAINE:
  S. 2729. A bill to provide for a period of continuing appropriations 
in the event of a lapse in appropriations under the normal 
appropriations process, and to prohibit consideration of other matters 
in the Senate if appropriations are not enacted; to the Committee on 
Appropriations.
  Mr. KAINE. Madam President, today I want to discuss legislation I am 
introducing, the End Shutdown Act.
  When Congress is unable to come to an agreement about government 
funding, Federal employees, government contractors, and Americans who 
depend on critical government services all suffer the consequences of 
using government shutdowns as a negotiating tactic. This bill prevents 
government shutdowns by initiating an automatic continuing resolution 
on October 1 if no appropriations bill is passed by that date and stops 
Congress from considering any nonemergency legislation until it reaches 
a long-term spending deal.
  For Federal employees who are forced to go without a paycheck through 
no fault of their own during a government shutdown, furlough can mean 
falling behind on mortgage, rent, or student loan payments and 
uncertainty about how to put food on the table for their families. I am 
glad my colleagues and I were able to guarantee backpay for all Federal 
employees in 2019, but the potential for prolonged shutdowns continues 
to threaten families' budgets and local economies. Virginia is home to 
more than 170,000 Federal employees and tens of thousands of Federal 
contractors. They are not a bargaining chip to be played in these 
negotiations.
  Government shutdowns disproportionately harm Virginia's economy, but 
over 80 percent of Federal workers live and work outside of the DC 
area. Shutdowns inflict pain on communities across the Nation, as they 
disrupt Federal contracts and loans to small businesses, complicate 
supply chains, and stall the release of data business owners need to 
make decisions.
  Further, government shutdowns halt the essential services that 
furloughed employees are unable to provide, from food inspection 
services to passport renewals and Social Security card replacement. 
Over the past two decades, government shutdowns have put some of our 
most essential programs like Medicare, SNAP, TANF, and WIC in jeopardy. 
Using government shutdowns as a negotiating tactic has the potential to 
inflict senseless pain on millions of Americans who rely on these and 
other Federal programs.
  By ending the threat of government shutdowns, Congress can ensure no 
one can ever again hold public servants and critical programs hostage 
by using a shutdown as a negotiating tactic. I encourage my colleagues 
to support this common-sense proposal that is needed for both the 
American people and the Federal employees across the country on whom we 
rely.
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