House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has put the House of Representatives into recess until October 1, which is the first day of the 2026 fiscal year (FY26). Unless he brings the House of Representatives back from recess on or before September 30 and agrees to negotiate and pass a bipartisan continuing resolution (CR) immediately to provide short-term funding, the federal government will shut down on October 1.

Additionally, a bipartisan CR needs to includes legislative language protecting congressionally approved funding levels from being withheld by the Administration and prevent a 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 2026 funding deal risks being ignored or overturned, which completely undermines the Constitutional authority of Congress to set and approve spending levels.

A government shutdown is a waste of resources and a costly interruption to the services that Americans, our communities, and our economy count on. During a shutdown, the essential services and functions that the federal government provides to the American people will continue to be delivered - from air traffic control to necessary food and public safety functions, transportation and infrastructure inspections, and liFe and property protecting functions of the government - but they will be delivered by federal employees who will not be paid until Congress restores government funding. The services that continue through the shutdown will quickly begin to be eroded as the government functions and staff that support those essential services and functions will be furloughed during the shutdown. Our armed service members will continue to serve our nation, but will not be paid until the shutdown ends.