WASHINGTON, D.C. – Recently, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and a number of her colleagues reintroduced the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2026, which would prevent government-wide shutdowns and force Congress to stay in Washington until their work is done. This legislation is being led by U.S. Senators James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.).

“Government shutdowns are costly, disruptive, and entirely preventable,” Senator Capito said. “The Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2026 will help keep our government open and ensure Congress is doing the job that the American people sent them to Washington to do.”

"Americans are tired of worthless government shutdown drama and Congress using federal workers and government services as pawns in political standoffs,” Senator Lankford said. “The Prevent Government Shutdowns Act ends government shutdowns forever with a simple idea: if Congress doesn't do its job, Congress doesn't get to go home. We shift the pressure off the American people and onto the people they elected. We came within three votes of passing this before, and it is time to finish the job."

“Government shutdowns are costly, avoidable, and make people in New Hampshire and across the country pay the price for the failures of Congress,” Senator Hassan said. “This commonsense, bipartisan bill incentivizes Congress to fund the government on time and ensures that there is a plan in place to protect families and our economy if Congress cannot come to an agreement.”

In addition to Senators Capito, Lankford, and Hassan, U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), John Kennedy (R-La.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) also reintroduced the legislation.

Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas-19) and Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.-19).

Full text of the legislation can be found here.

# # #