Crapo Co-Sponsors Anti-Shutdown Bill

Washington, D.C.  - Future federal government shutdowns over funding disagreements will result in smaller government, not shutdowns of government, under legislation co-sponsored by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo.  Crapo, a member of the joint House-Senate budget negotiating committee established by the agreement last month to re-open the government, calls the bill a "common-sense compromise" to avoid the loss of pay and benefits to those who work for, and rely on, federal government operations, as well as the damage done to the economy.  The End Government Shutdowns Act has been introduced by Senators Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Jon Tester (D-Montana) and co-sponsored by more than 20 Senators, including Crapo and Idaho Senator Jim Risch.

"We may not have the time in the joint budget conference committee to approve a so-called grand bargain over tax reform, entitlement reform, fiscal reform and the budget enforcement reform that all of us know needs to be done," Crapo said.  "But, this is an excellent opportunity to set up some processes to ensure that Congress will not break its budget and will help us deal with future lapses in spending and a potential government shutdown-in the way that Senator Portman's bill and others have proposed," Crapo said during the initial meeting of the joint budget committee.

Under the End Government Shutdowns legislation, any lack of agreement over setting a new budget and passing appropriation bills at the end of the fiscal year on October 1 would not result in a shutdown, but instead keep the government operating through an automatic continuing resolution.  That spending resolution would shrink spending levels for all of government by one-percent if there is no subsequent agreement in 120 days and continue to lower spending by one-percent every 90 days without congressional agreement on new appropriations.

"This legislation can help us reduce the stress put on our economy during these political battles," Crapo added.  "I hope it can help spur meaningful reform in the time we have to work together on these latest budget negotiations as we continue to work toward a larger agreement to lower our $17 trillion federal debt."