Title: A resolution rejecting the use of Government shutdowns.
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance

Summary:
This resolution rejects the use of government shutdowns as a negotiating tactic. It also affirms that government shutdowns (1) cause unnecessary pain to federal workers and the people of the United States, and (2) should never be resorted to again.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 66 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 66

               Rejecting the use of Government shutdowns.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 11, 2019

Mrs. Feinstein (for herself, Ms. Collins, Ms. Klobuchar, Ms. Smith, Mr. 
 Cardin, and Mr. Blumenthal) submitted the following resolution; which 
            was referred to the Committee on Appropriations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
               Rejecting the use of Government shutdowns.

Whereas the Government shutdown that began on December 22, 2018 (referred to in 
        this preamble as the ``Government shutdown''), lasted 35 days before 
        ending on January 25, 2019, becoming the longest shutdown in the history 
        of the United States;
Whereas the Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the Government 
        shutdown caused an $11,000,000,000 decline in the gross domestic product 
        of the United States, $3,000,000,000 of which will never be recovered;
Whereas the Government shutdown caused significant harm to the United States by 
        disrupting important activities and services carried out by--

    (1) the Department of Agriculture;

    (2) the Department of Commerce;

    (3) the Department of Homeland Security;

    (4) the Department of Housing and Urban Development;

    (5) the Department of the Interior;

    (6) the Department of Justice;

    (7) the Department of State;

    (8) the Department of Transportation;

    (9) the Department of the Treasury;

    (10) the Environmental Protection Agency;

    (11) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration;

    (12) the National Science Foundation; and

    (13) other Federal agencies;

Whereas, according to the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, the 
        Government shutdown caused delays and uncertainty within the judicial 
        branch of the Government, a branch co-equal with the legislative branch 
        and the executive branch;
Whereas the Government shutdown created unnecessary chaos and, in many cases, 
        financial hardship for the approximately 800,000 Federal workers who 
        were forced to go without paychecks during the duration of the 
        Government shutdown and for the families of those Federal workers;
Whereas the Federal workers working without pay or furloughed as a result of the 
        Government shutdown experienced preventable hardship due to no fault of 
        their own, and Federal contractor employees affected by the Government 
        shutdown may never recover the entirety of their lost wages;
Whereas private businesses working with Federal agencies affected by the 
        Government shutdown saw a reduction in income and indirect consequences, 
        including--

    (1) issues with obtaining Federal permits, loans, and grants; and

    (2) in the case of small businesses with Federal contracts, not having 
enough work for the employees of those small businesses;

Whereas airports experienced delays during the Government shutdown, as 
        Transportation Security Administration agents and air traffic 
        controllers, who remained on the job, dedicated to the safety of every 
        flight, were forced to work without pay in an already stressful 
        profession;
Whereas the Government shutdown--

    (1) suspended the use of E-Verify technology by employers to verify the 
immigration status of their workers;

    (2) caused a 10-percent increase in the backlog of cases in the 
immigration court system; and

    (3) forced members of the Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to miss 2 
paychecks and suffer severe financial hardship;

Whereas the Government shutdown threatened public health by hampering the 
        operations of the Food and Drug Administration, limiting--

    (1) the ability to address critical medical drug shortages; and

    (2) Federal oversight of the food supply and medical products in the 
United States;

Whereas, according to the FBI Agents Association, the Government shutdown 
        inhibited the Federal Bureau of Investigation from carrying out the full 
        operations of the Bureau;
Whereas seniors at the Maritime Academies were unable to take licensing exams 
        due to the Government shutdown, which will significantly delay the job 
        searches of those seniors, and merchant mariners were unable to renew 
        licenses;
Whereas thousands of low-income senior or disabled households were at risk of 
        losing rental assistance during the Government shutdown;
Whereas small nonprofit groups across the United States that assist the homeless 
        and victims of domestic violence were unable to access grants when 
        employees were furloughed;
Whereas, in the wake of one of the deadliest and most destructive wildfires in 
        the history of the United States, the Forest Service was forced to 
        suspend wildfire prevention efforts due to the Government shutdown;
Whereas the Government shutdown harmed the National Parks and tourism that 
        supports the National Parks, and resulted in--

    (1) iconic Joshua trees being damaged and chopped down;

    (2) historical artifacts being stolen;

    (3) animals being harassed; and

    (4) sensitive habitat being trampled;

Whereas the Government shutdown--

    (1) severely limited the ability of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (referred to in this preamble as ``NOAA'') to 
fulfill critical regulatory and resource management responsibilities;

    (2) kept numerous fishermen off the water in New England and other 
coastal areas because those fishermen were unable to obtain required 
permits from NOAA; and

    (3) created a significant backlog of work on many critical initiatives 
of NOAA; and

Whereas the Federal Government has experienced 21 shutdowns since 1976, ranging 
        in duration from 1 day to 35 days: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) affirms that, no matter how long a Government shutdown 
        lasts, a Government shutdown causes unnecessary pain--
                    (A) to Federal workers; and
                    (B) to the people of the United States;
            (2) rejects the future use of a Government shutdown as a 
        negotiating tactic; and
            (3) believes that the Government should never resort to a 
        shut down again.
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