Senator Ron Johnson has put forward a simple, gutsy solution to a problem that every hardworking American knows is a Washington disgrace: his Eliminate Shutdowns Act, introduced in mid-September 2025, would create automatic continuing appropriations to prevent the government from shutting down when lawmakers can’t finish the budget on time. This is not wishful thinking or political theater — the bill is filed as S.2806 and already sits on the Senate calendar for consideration.
The proposal itself is straightforward and deliberately practical: when an appropriation for a department hasn’t been enacted, the law would trigger short, rolling continuing resolutions so essential services stay running and federal employees aren’t left in limbo. Johnson has explained the measure as automatic two-week extensions — a clean mechanic that keeps the lights on without rewarding obstruction.
Why do this? Because shutdowns are costly, chaotic, and utterly avoidable. They shutter services, furlough federal workers, and shake investor and consumer confidence — all while career politicians in both parties use the threat of a shutdown as leverage for unrelated agendas. The collapse of bipartisan cooperation on stopgap funding this week, with the Senate failing to secure a temporary funding measure, proved exactly why Johnson’s fix is so urgently needed.
Conservatives should cheer a plan that keeps government functioning for the people while forcing lawmakers to do their job — pass a budget. That said, common-sense reforms like Johnson’s must be paired with serious spending discipline so automatic extensions don’t become a blank check for runaway federal spending. Senator Johnson himself has acknowledged past concerns and designed this version to be narrower and simpler so it protects taxpayers while preserving congressional responsibility.
Make no mistake: the swamp will grumble. Career politicians and partisan operatives who profit from crisis will oppose any reform that strips them of the power to hold the country hostage. The recent stalemate in the Senate shows how easily procedural gamesmanship can imperil the nation, and it underlines why structural fixes — not seasonal panic — should decide whether programs remain funded.
There is already momentum across Capitol Hill. House Republicans have introduced companion measures that similarly aim to prevent shutdowns, and other Senate conservatives are advancing related proposals to close this recurring loophole in our budget process. That bipartisan interest, limited though it may be, is proof that preserving government services while restoring accountability is a winning argument for principled conservatives and independent voters alike.
If Americans want an end to the recurring shutdown spectacle, they should get behind common-sense fixes like the Eliminate Shutdowns Act and demand real fiscal responsibility from every member of Congress. Senator Johnson is offering a clear, patriotic choice: keep the government open for the people, not for politicians’ power plays. Now it’s on the voters and their representatives to make sure Washington finally puts the country first.
