This shutdown is entirely avoidable. A funding bill agreed to by Republican and Democratic leadership in both the House and Senate is the only way to ensure there are enough votes to stop the shutdown and end the lockout of federal workers.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has kept the House of Representatives in recess since September 19, preventing any possible agreement to end the government shutdown. Speaker Johnson must bring the House back into session so Republicans and Democrats can continue negotiating and pass a bipartisan continuing resolution (CR) immediately to provide short-term funding, reopen the federal government, and ensure federal workers are paid.

Additionally, a bipartisan CR must include legislative language protecting congressionally approved funding levels from being withheld by the Administration and preventing the unilateral implementation of the President’s budget contrary to congressional intent. The Administration has already used unprecedented tactics, such as “pocket rescissions,” to withhold funds until they expire—effectively nullifying bipartisan funding agreements. Without legislative safeguards, any FY2026 funding deal risks being ignored or overturned at the whim of the White House, completely undermining Congress’s constitutional authority to set and approve spending levels.

A government shutdown is a waste of resources and a costly interruption of the services that Americans, our communities, and our economy depend on. During a shutdown, essential services—such as air traffic control, food and public safety inspections, transportation and infrastructure oversight, and life- and property-protecting functions—will continue, but they will be delivered by federal employees who will not be paid until Congress restores government funding. These services will quickly begin to erode as supporting staff and functions are furloughed. Our armed service members will continue to serve our nation but will also go unpaid until the shutdown ends.

We need to make it clear to Congress: Americans want you to work together to fund the government services and operations we count on.