Comment: Theatrics of Congress’ shutdown brinkmanship must end

By Amber Gunn / For The Herald

The phrase “government shutdown” is younger than most members of Congress.

Fifty years ago, government shutdowns didn’t exist. But now, each fall, the nation groans as Congress turns one of its most fundamental duties — passing a budget — into a manufactured crisis. As the deadline approaches, Congress stalls and shutdown threats dominate the headlines until a stopgap measure is slapped together at the eleventh hour

The calendar is no secret, yet Washington, D.C., repeats the same frustrating cycle as though the budget deadline appeared out of nowhere. It appears to be high drama, but it’s a failure of legislative responsibility and an executive misstep that traces back to the Carter administration.

Shutdowns were never meant to be part of our constitutional system. They emerged in 1980, when a 19th-century law was unilaterally reinterpreted by the Carter administration to allow distinctions between “essential” and “nonessential” services and require agencies to close when appropriations lapse.

For nearly two centuries before that, the federal government continued to function during budget gaps. The Founders designed a republic where Congress — through open debate and compromise — would set priorities and authorize spending, not one where the threat of chaos could be wielded as leverage.

A proposal is on the table to get us off this embarrassing and costly budget shutdown merry-go-round. The “Prevent Government Shutdowns Act” (S. 2721/ H.R. 5130) would ensure that the government remains open while forcing Congress to remain in session until the budget work is done. This puts budget pressure where it belongs: on Congress, not on families.

Services would continue uninterrupted, but no new business would be funded. Worker furloughs and backpay bloat would no longer be an issue. Ending shutdown brinkmanship removes the distraction of manufactured crises and requires lawmakers to fulfill their core duty: deliberate, transparent budgeting on behalf of the people they represent.

States have already shown the way. Rhode Island, Wisconsin and North Carolina have automatic continuing appropriations that keep last year’s budget rolling until a new one is passed. Just this year, Kansas joined them. If statehouses can manage it, Congress can too. This isn’t just about protecting programs from disruption; it’s about restoring accountability to the branch of government constitutionally charged with the power of the purse.

Why does this matter? Because the budget isn’t just another bill. The budget drives all policy.

Every decision — from defense to Social Security to small grant programs — flows through the appropriations process. Failure to pass a budget undermines public trust, disrupts services for veterans and families, and rattles the economy. It also leads to “continuing resolutions” that freeze priorities in place instead of encouraging thoughtful decisions about where taxpayer dollars should go.

The shutdown prevention bill would restore predictability, protect taxpayers, and reinforce the legislative branch’s constitutional role. It would also remove the leverage that small factions currently hold when they threaten shutdowns. For those who value limited government, this is exactly what we should want: a Congress that does its core job of budgeting responsibly.

This is why Mountain States Policy Center recently joined an open letter led by Americans for Prosperity urging Congress to pass these reforms. It reads, in part, “Automatic continuing appropriations advance inclusive, effective, legislature-driven budgeting. We urge Congress to enact the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act as soon as possible. It would strengthen America’s fiscal democracy, help Congress succeed, and support a more timely and effective appropriations process. Americans deserve a government that works.”

Shutdowns are a modern invention that weaken public trust and create unnecessary turmoil. Theatrics make headlines; statesmanship makes history. It’s time Congress chooses wisely.

Amber Gunn is a senior policy analyst for the Mountain States Policy Center, an independent research organization based in Idaho, Montana, Eastern Washington and Wyoming. Online at mountainstatespolicy.org.