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Sen. Mark Warner introduces ‘Stop STUPIDITY Act’ to end future government shutdowns

Posted at 8:20 PM, Jan 22, 2019
and last updated 2019-01-22 20:40:17-05

WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) introduced the “Stop STUPIDITY Act” to put an end to future government shutdowns and protect federal government workers.

ALEXANDRIA, VA – JANUARY 11: Sen. Mark Warner (C) (D-VA) and Sen. Tim Kaine (2nd L) (D-VA) talk with furloughed government employees about how the government shutdown has impacted their lives and finances during a roundtable discussion in Alexandria, Virginia January 11, 2019. Government employees will miss their first paycheck today as the shutdown threatens to become the longest shutdown in history. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

By automatically renewing government funding at the same levels as the previous fiscal year – with adjustments for inflation – the Stop STUPIDITY (Shutdowns Transferring Unnecessary Pain and Inflicting Damage In The Coming Years) Act would keep the government running in the case of a lapse in funding.

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The bill would fund all aspects of the government except the legislative branch and the Executive Office of the President, effectively forcing Congress and the White House to come to the negotiating table without putting the economy at risk or hurting the American public.

“The Stop STUPIDITY Act takes the aggressive but necessary step of forcing the President and Congress to do the jobs they were elected to do,” said Warner. “It is disturbing that the daily lives of hundreds of thousands of workers are at the mercy of dysfunction in Washington. Workers, business owners and tax payers are currently paying the price of D.C. gridlock and my legislation will put an end to that.”

Warner has been outspoken on the impact of the government shutdown, which started on December 22. He recently passed a bill to give back pay to federal and other government workers who have been affected by the shutdown and introduced legislation to pay back federal contract workers.

Click here to read the full text of the Stop STUPIDITY Act.