Lee joins effort to permanently stop federal government shutdowns

WASHINGTON D.C. – Could there be a law that would prevention federal government shutdowns forever?  Utah Senator Mike Lee is joining several other lawmakers in backing a bill that could keep the federal government working even after Congress can’t agree on a budget.

The group of Republican senators backing the bill continues to grow.  It now includes Lee, Chuck Grassley from Iowa, Montana’s Steve Daines and Lisa Murkowski from Alaska, to name a few.

Lee issued a statement to the Deseret News, saying shutdowns are not a responsible way to govern.  That sentiment is supported by Lee’s communications director Conn Carroll.

“Government shutdowns aren’t good for anyone.  They hurt federal employees.  They hurt federal contractors,” Carroll says.

The bill, sponsored by Ohio Senator Rob Portman, would cover the costs of every federal office without any exclusions.

Carroll says, “A new continuing resolution would be passed, automatically, at continuing levels of funding for 120 days,” adding, “After that 120 day mark, spending would decrease by one percent for every 90 days after that.”

This isn’t the first time Lee has supported this kind of measure.

Carroll says, “Rob Portman introduced this same bill last year and Mike Lee sponsored it, then.  It is a bill and an idea we’ve supported for many years now.”

Lee’s statement says, “It provides stability and predictability without allowing Congress to pat ourselves on the back for averting a self-made crisis.”