I wrote both of my U.S. Senators to urge them to keep the government operating until the Congress and the President can agree on a budget. They each responded to my message.
Both pointed out the continuing resolution to fund the government until March 14, 2025. Voting for that resolution was the purpose of me contacting them. I expect they both had already planned to vote for it when my email found its way into their offices.
“I think you will agree that our nation is facing a spending crisis directly caused by the absence of sound fiscal policy and rampant, uncontrolled spending sprees,” Ernst wrote in response. One assumes Republicans will remedy that issue now that they have the trifecta of the executive and both chambers of the U.S. Congress. Such assumptions are a stretch because when Trump visited Capitol Hill this week, tax cuts for the wealthy and associated spending were the main course. In retrospect, it has been Democratic administrations that pulled the reins on such spending. Time will tell if Ernst was sincere.
For Senator Grassley’s part, he said, “Unfortunately, the appropriations process in Congress is broken and it must be fixed. Out of control spending is saddling our kids and grandkids with unprecedented debt. But shutting down the government is a waste of money.” One assumes, as with Ernst, Grassley will work in the Congress to fix this. The U.S. House couldn’t pass the needed appropriations bills in the 118th Congress. The Republican majority is even slimmer in the 119th. To Grassley’s credit, his response provides a longer explanation of the appropriations process. I believe this was already written when my email reached his office, nonetheless, I am happy to have it.
My point is that we should take advantage of the available tools to contact our elected officials to advocate for things. I use the process sparingly because I don’t want to wear out my welcome. While this may seem like a form of Kabuki Theater, it is the process we have. Below are Senators Ernst and Grassley’s written responses to me.
Here is Senator Ernst’s full response:
Thank you for taking the time to contact me about the importance of keeping the government funded and open. It is important for me to hear from folks in Iowa on policy matters such as this.
As you may know, Congress recently passed a continuing resolution to fund the government through March 14, 2025. Like many Iowans, I am sick and tired of Washington’s dangerous habit of governing from one emergency to the next. Our federal government cannot continue lurching from one short-sighted, band-aid funding bill to another.
While I am pleased we were able to avoid a government shutdown, all of the appropriations bills were waiting to be voted on for several months. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who controlled the calendar in 2024, refused to bring those bills to the floor for a full Senate vote or allow senators an opportunity to offer their own input. Instead, he let the government come far too close to shutting down too many times.
You may be interested to know, I introduced the Shutdown Accountability Resolution to compel Congress to do its job. This effort would mandate the Senate remain in session and continue working in the event of another potential government shutdown. If enacted, my resolution would also authorize the tracking down, arresting, and escorting of Senators to the chamber if they refuse to show up and do their job.
I think you will agree that our nation is facing a spending crisis directly caused by the absence of sound fiscal policy and rampant, uncontrolled spending sprees. You may be interested to know, for the past decade, I have proudly presented a monthly Squeal Award to highlight an expense or program the federal government is wasting your tax dollars on. But I don’t just call out the waste, I offer a commonsense solution to end it. A full list of my Squeal Awards can be found here: https://www.ernst.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/make-em-squeal. Iowans elected me to cut Washington’s pork and make ’em squeal, and that’s exactly what I’m doing!
Please know that I will continue fighting to make Washington more accountable and fiscally responsible. Feel free to contact my office with any further information, as I always enjoy hearing from Iowans.
Joni K. Ernst, U.S. Senator
Here is Senator Grassley’s full response:
Thank you for contacting me with your support for keeping the government funded. As your senator, it is important for me to hear from you.
I appreciate hearing of your thoughts about the negotiations in Congress to fund government operations up to March 14, 2025. I value your perspective on this issue.
Unfortunately, the appropriations process in Congress is broken and it must be fixed. Out of control spending is saddling our kids and grandkids with unprecedented debt. But shutting down the government is a waste of money.
The U.S. House of Representatives considered three continuing resolutions (CRs) in December 2024. The first CR funded federal government operations, disaster relief programs, and needed extensions. However, opposition was raised to extraneous provisions that greatly increased the length of the bill and it was pulled from consideration. The extraneous provisions included: several bipartisan bills, reforms to the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) industry, and reauthorizations of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and the Older Americans Act. A second, paired down CR that also suspended the debt limit for two years was opposed by a majority of the U.S. House of Representatives. The third CR, H.R.10545, did not include the debt limit suspension and also significantly limited the number of extra provisions on the bill. H.R.10545 passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 366 – 34.
On December 21, 2024, I joined a majority of my colleagues in the U.S. Senate in passing H.R. 10545, the American Relief Act, by a vote of 85 – 11. H.R.10545 temporarily continues funding federal government operations at current levels through March 14, 2025, with some additional funding provided for the Presidential Inauguration and several defense programs. It also provides $100 billion in emergency disaster-relief supplemental appropriations, and $10 billion in emergency economic assistance for farmers. My office worked closely with Senate appropriators to ensure funding also was made available for the needs we have in Iowa after our severe storms in early 2024.
The CR further provides funding for select health care programs, certain Medicare extenders, delays planned Medicaid DSH payment reductions, and extends certain public health programs and authorities. Finally, the CR extends the 2018 Farm Bill authorities and funding levels until September 30, 2025, and it extends authorities for other programs that were set to expire.
One of the most fundamental constitutional responsibilities afforded to Congress is the power of the purse, which grants Congress the authority to raise and spend revenue to operate the government and to carefully examine spending decisions. The federal budget is primarily funded through twelve annual appropriations bills. Emergency spending, such as for natural disasters, is handled on an as-needed basis.
The federal fiscal year begins on October 1 of each year. If appropriations bills are not signed into law by September 30, lawmakers and the president must agree on a temporary spending resolution, known as a continuing resolution, to keep the government open for business. If that fails, the unfunded parts of government shut down.
History has repeatedly shown that shutting down the government is bad policy and bad politics. It costs taxpayers money to shut down the government and even more to re-open it. A government shutdown reduces essential services for the American people, erodes the trust of the American people, and limits the ability of Congress to conduct oversight over federal government operations.
Government shutdowns don’t make for a great bargaining tool. Eventually, the heat gets so bad that Congress votes to reopen the government and the members who were pushing for certain policy changes usually don’t get what they want. Instead, Congress is in the same spot, but now is stuck with a last-minute omnibus bill or a long-term continuing resolution, neither of which allow Congress to carefully analyze spending and make necessary tough decisions. In short, shutdowns have always been a losing proposition for fiscal conservatives.
I believe Congress needs to stop governing from crisis to crisis, respect the appropriations process, and fulfill its constitutional responsibility to keep the government funded. For that reason, I am a cosponsor of the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2023. This bill would permanently end government shutdowns by creating an automatic CR to keep the federal government open if budget negotiations are not finalized before key spending deadlines. The bill would prohibit Members of Congress, congressional staff, and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) officials from traveling outside of Washington, D.C. during the automatic CR. It would also prevent Congress from recessing or from considering legislation unrelated to appropriations bills for the first 30 days of an automatic CR and then would make exceptions for consideration of a Supreme Court Justice or Cabinet Secretary nomination or reauthorization legislation.
I value your perspective on the appropriations process as Congress begins working to finalize FY25 appropriations and looks to FY26 appropriations. I am committed to holding the line on unnecessary spending and looking for solutions to ensure the long-term financial health of the United States.
Thank you for your message. Please keep in touch.
Sincerely, Chuck Grassley, United States Senator
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