Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2025

Key Points

• This bill would automatically keep the government funded at current spending levels whenever Congress fails to pass a budget on time, preventing government shutdowns entirely. Funding would continue in rolling 14-day blocks until a real appropriations bill is signed into law.
• During these automatic funding periods, Members of Congress and their staff would be banned from spending taxpayer money or campaign funds on official travel, with narrow exceptions for returning to Washington, D.C., or responding to national security events.
• Congress would be forced to stay in session and focus almost entirely on budget work. Lawmakers could not recess for more than 23 hours and could only take up appropriations bills, debt limit measures, reconciliation bills, or emergency-related legislation.
• Waiving these strict rules would require a two-thirds supermajority vote in either chamber, and any waiver could last no longer than 7 days, making it very difficult for Congress to sidestep the pressure to finish the budget.
• The bill would take effect on September 30, 2025, which is the last day of the current fiscal year and the exact date when a new budget must be in place to avoid a funding gap.