U.S. House Budget Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-TX) on Sept. 4 proposed legislation to prevent a government-wide shutdown, continue critical services and operations for Americans, and hold federal workers harmless while Congress completes the appropriations process.
Specifically, the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2025, H.R. 5130, would require that if appropriations work is not done on time, all members of Congress must stay in Washington, D.C., and work until the spending bills are completed.
“In the real world, if you fail to do your job, there are consequences. Yet, when Congress fails to pass appropriations on time, the burden falls squarely on hardworking Americans,” Rep. Arrington said. “My Prevent Government Shutdowns Act is common-sense legislation that would shift the burden of a shutdown away from We the People and onto the politicians where it belongs by forcing members of Congress to stay in Washington until their work on appropriations is complete.”
If enacted, upon a lapse in government funding, H.R. 5130 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 to prevent a shutdown, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Arrington’s office.
During the covered period of an automatic CR, several restrictions would be put in place, such as no taxpayer-funded travel allowances for official business (except one flight to return to Washington, D.C.) for White House staff and leadership at the Office of Management and Budget; members of both chambers of Congress; and committee and personal staff of both chambers.
In addition, H.R. 5130 would state that no other votes would be in order in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. 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 U.S. 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.
Such restrictions could be waived by a two-thirds vote in either chamber, but not for longer than seven days, the summary says.
Americans for Prosperity supports the measure, which also has been introduced in the Senate by U.S. Sen. James Lankford (R-OK).