Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2025
The Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2025 would create an automatic continuing-appropriations mechanism to keep federal programs running when the regular appropriations process lapses. Starting in the new fiscal year, if Congress has not enacted full-year or continuing appropriations for a given program, funding would automatically continue at the rate provided in the most recent applicable appropriation (either a prior continuing resolution or a prior full-year act). This automatic funding would last in 14-day increments, with another 14-day extension if the lapse persists. The bill also imposes procedures and restrictions on Congress and federal agencies during these automatic-continuing periods, including limited ability to reallocate funds, travel restrictions for covered officials, and tight Congressional rules to prevent broad, non-emergency actions. The aim is to minimize disruption to essential government functions and entitlements while preserving Congress’s power over funding decisions, with a defined effective date of September 30, 2025. In addition to establishing automatic funding, the bill sets governance rules for how agencies may transfer funds within a limited cap, defines what counts as a lapse and the period of automatic appropriations, and provides budgetary- and oversight-related implications to ensure that continuing appropriations are treated like discretionary spending for budgetary purposes. It also introduces restrictions on official travel and campaign funds during covered periods and creates a streamlined, expedited path for congressional review of certain presidential anomalies. The overall effect is to reduce the likelihood of a government shutdown, while preserving core congressional control over funding decisions.
Key Points
- 1Automatic continuing appropriations (Sec. 2): If a lapse occurs, programs receive funding at the rate provided by the preceding applicable appropriation Act for 14 days, with automatic 14-day extensions if the lapse continues. Entitlements and specific mandated programs are funded to maintain current levels, and expenditures are charged to the relevant account even if no new appropriation Act has been enacted.
- 2Limited funding actions and oversight (Sec. 2): Agencies may transfer up to 5% of an appropriation to other accounts to cover higher-priority items, with OMB approval and immediate notification to the Appropriations Committees. Transfers must not fund items for which Congress has explicitly denied funds.
- 3Congressional procedures during a covered period (Sec. 3): Restricts floor actions to a narrow set of matters (i.e., annual appropriation measures, quorum/roll-call measures, certain budget/ debt-limit actions, emergencies, and in some cases nominations or program extensions after 30 days). Recessing or adjourning is limited to 23 hours, and daily quorum checks are required.
- 4Travel and campaign-fund restrictions during automatic appropriations (Sec. 3(b)): No official travel funded by a covered period, with limited exceptions (return travel to DC, intra-NCR travel, or travel related to national security events). Campaign funds may not be used for official travel during a covered period, with a narrow exception to return to DC.
- 5Budgetary and effective-date provisions (Sec. 4-5): The act’s funding is treated as discretionary; it affects baseline calculations and applies under the usual spending-limit rules. The act takes effect September 30, 2025, with related budgetary accounting and enforcement provisions.