America woke up today to the news that a temporary measure funding the federal government will run out in less than a week with no apparent deal in sight. If you think you’ve heard this story before, you’re right.
We are now facing a fourth shutdown threat in a fiscal year that is four months old with the latest continuing resolution (CR) set to expire on Thursday, Feb. 8. That means federal employees are facing the uncertainty, stress and disruption of a possible government shutdown all over again.
Gone are the days of Congress passing 12 annual appropriations bills. Short-term spending bills have become the norm when Congress jumps from one crisis to another and can’t agree on full-term, stable funding. This is bad for agencies, federal employees and the American public.
This repetitive cycle of CRs prevents agencies from doing any long-term budgeting or planning, or getting the necessary funding to deal with increasing workloads. And instead of serving the public, agencies must shift resources and staffing to prepare for potential shutdowns, wasting taxpayer money and compromising the public’s access to critical services.
CRs and the constant threat of government shutdowns also create anxiety for federal employees, who have bills to pay and families to support.
So, this Groundhog Day, NTEU is hoping Americans don’t have to keep living the same shutdown threat over and over—and that spring is on the way.