Republican Sen. James Lankford reinstates plan to end permanent government shutdown by making lawmakers “work seven days a week” until spending bills pass
- “It’s very simple: if you haven’t finished your classwork, you have to stay after class so you can finish the work before going home”
- The bill would trigger two weeks of spending bills and force Congress to stay in town and focus only on spending
- James Lankford, R-Okla., co-sponsored the bill with New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan, DN.H.
As Congress prepares for another government shutdown battle in less than a month, Sen. James Lankford is pushing a bipartisan bill that would end the shutdown for good.
Instead of freezing pay for millions of government workers when Congress misses funding deadlines, members would have to stay in Washington and work seven days a week until they pass spending bills, according to his legislation.
“It’s very simple: if you haven’t finished your class work, you need to stay after class so you can finish your class work before going home.”
The bill would trigger two weeks of spending bills and force Congress to stay in town and focus only on spending.
Lankford co-sponsored the bill, the Prevent a Government Shutdown Act, with New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan. The bill is gaining traction on both sides of the aisle, according to Lankford.
As Congress prepares for another government shutdown battle in less than a month, Sen. James Lankford is pushing a bipartisan bill that would end the shutdown for good
“You have an automatic ongoing resolution to the same levels as last year,” Lankford told DailyMail.com in an interview.
“But members of Congress and our staff, we couldn’t travel. We are in session seven days a week. The only thing we could move on is the appropriations bills.
“If you’ve ever been on the steps of the House or the Senate at the end of the week, you’ll see everybody walking down the steps to head to a plane because they’ve got things with their family, they’ve got things back home with the constituents,” he continued.
“Federal workers, members of the military, American citizens trying to access a service that’s being held harmless during this time, but the pressure is actually on us.”
Lankford co-sponsored the bill, the Prevent a Government Shutdown Act, with New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan. The bill is gaining traction on both sides of the aisle, according to Lankford
In September, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy introduced a continuing resolution on the floor that led to his historic reversal. That bill continued funding the government at 2023 levels — set by Democrats in the last Congress — through Nov. 17, buying six more weeks for the House and Senate to pass 12 single-issue spending bills.
And even if the divided House can pass 12 appropriations bills, it will still have to negotiate with the Senate — an even taller feat.
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., promised to introduce a motion to remove McCarthy on the floor if the California Republican passes a CR, and seven other Republicans and all Democrats joined him in voting against the speaker.
Lankford said he sees “no chance” Congress will complete the appropriations before Nov. 17 and believes the removal of the speaker from the House has put Congress back on track.
“My sense is that there are some people in the House who want Kevin McCarthy, and in nine months they expected that he could solve what hasn’t been solved in the House for years,” the Oklahoma Republican mused.
“This will still be unresolved when a new speaker comes on board.”
