Alabama’s U.S. Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville are sponsoring legislation to put an end to government shutdowns.
The “Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2025” was recently reintroduced by Senator James Lankford, R-Oklahoma, with both Britt and Tuberville signing onto the bill as co-sponsors. The legislation would prevent the federal government from shutting down in the scenario that Congress does not enact all 12 required annual appropriations bills on time by triggering an automatic, rolling two-week continuing resolution (CR) to maintain funding at the previous fiscal year’s levels.
While the CR is in place, members of Congress would be required to stay in Washington, D.C. until the federal budget is complete, with no access to taxpayer-funded travel, extended recesses or official trips abroad. Those same travel restrictions would also apply to congressional staff and officials from the White House Office of Management and Budget.
Additionally, the terms of the CR would require legislators to meet daily (including on weekends), with only budget-related votes being held on the floor until all appropriations bills, or a long-term CR, are passed.
“Where I come from, you stay at work until you get the job done,” Tuberville said of the legislation.“The American people sent us to Washington D.C. to pass a budget, not to go on vacation. I’m proud to join this legislation that would stop incentivizing petty shutdowns by requiring Congress to stay in town until we can do our jobs and pass a responsible budget.”
“Alabamians sent me to the Senate to work on their behalf and deliver results— not participate in the business-as-usual practices that have led to an unsustainable national deficit and even more out-of-control spending,” Britt said. “Government shutdowns benefit no one and are often used as a political threat to prevent us from reining in spending, ultimately continuing the same irresponsible policies that created this mess in the first place. We must make Washington work again, and this bill is a step in the right direction.”
The reintroduction of the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act comes ahead of the September 30 government funding deadline for fiscal year 2026, with Democrats threatening to vote down any CR that may include additional spending cuts or major policy riders, thereby prompting a potential shutdown.
In addition to Alabama’s delegation, U.S. Senators John Barrasso, R-Wyoming; Steve Daines, R-Montana; John Cornyn, R-Texas; Ted Budd, R-North Carolina; Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana; and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, have also signed onto the legislation. Britt and Tuberville also co-sponsored a previous version of the bill in the 118th Congress.
Budget Chairman Jody Arrington, R-Texas, is carrying the legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
