Johnson, Phillips: Get It Done Act Forces Lawmakers to Avoid Shutdowns and Address Spending

Johnson, Phillips: Get It Done Act Forces Lawmakers to Avoid Shutdowns and Address Spending

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Dean Phillips (D-MN-03) introduced the GET IT DONE Act, a bipartisan bill to implement sequestration to avoid a government shutdown should Congress fail to pass a complete appropriations bill.

“When political leaders can’t reach an agreement, we need a system that holds them accountable rather than punishing millions of everyday Americans,” said Johnson.

“Government shutdowns are the worst negotiation tactic in our political system. The human toll is irresponsible and inexcusable,” Phillips said. “The only people who should suffer financial hardship when elected leaders can’t govern are the elected leaders themselves. I am proud to join Rep. Dusty Johnson, my fellow member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, to lead this endeavor.”

Both Johnson and Phillips were sworn into office during the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history. During the 2019 government shutdown, a reported 4,400 federal employees in South Dakota did not receive a paycheck, while Members of Congress continued to get paid. The government has shut down on three separate occasions for a total of 54 days in the past eight years.

If by the first day of a fiscal year a regular appropriations bill has not been enacted, the bill would:

• Continue the previous fiscal year’s funding for the first 30 days;
  • For each subsequent 30-day period, the rate of operations will be reduced by 2.5%;
• Hold senior government officials pay in an escrow account until such a bill is enacted;
• Prohibit funds to be used to pay for travel for senior government officials to leave the Washington Metropolitan Area;
• Express that Houses of Congress may not adjourn for a period of more than 12 hours until such a bill is enacted, ensuring Members of Congress remain in Washington to pass a budget.

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