Should the House Express That Government Shutdowns Are Bad & Shouldn’t Happen? (H. Res. 79)
Do you support or oppose this bill?
What is H. Res. 79?
(Updated April 7, 2021)
This resolution would express the sense of the House of Representatives that government shutdowns are detrimental to the nation and shouldn’t occur. It would add that shutdowns aren’t an acceptable tactic or strategy for resolving differences regarding policy, funding levels, or governing philosophy and that Congress must ensure the continued, uninterrupted operations of the federal government.
As a simple resolution, this legislation is non-binding and wouldn’t advance beyond the House if passed.
Argument in favor
Government shutdowns hurt federal workers and the American people, who experience disruptions in the services they’ve come to expect. Congress shouldn’t allow the government to shut down over policy differences in the future.
Argument opposed
Government shutdowns may be bad, but this non-binding bill does absolutely nothing to prevent them from happening in the future and is a waste of time when lawmakers ought to be focused on negotiating to avoid a shutdown on February 15th.
Impact
Congress and the federal government.
Cost of H. Res. 79
As a simple resolution, this bill would have no cost to enact.
Additional Info
In-Depth: This legislation was introduced by freshman Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) to express the sense of the House that government shutdowns are bad and should be avoided.
It was amended from its original form after Republicans objected to its partisan tone: it blamed President Donald Trump for the 35-day shutdown on three occasions and included quotes from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID).
A Democratic aide told Politico that House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) agreed to remove the language referencing Trump and House Republicans to eliminate possible reasons for GOP members to oppose the bill.
Media:
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Politico
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House Clerk (Original Bill)
- Countable (Context)
Summary by Eric Revell
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