On the Senate floor Jan. 25, Sen. Susan Collins said that when it comes to the government, “shutdowns are never justified.” She’s right – they aren’t.

That’s why it’s disturbing that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the Republicans let the shutdown drag on for 35 days, before finally voting to pass the bill that the Democrats had introduced on Day One. And that’s why I hope Sen. Collins will do something to stop the next one from happening.

Related Headlines

• Letter to the editor: Mueller probe draining the Trump swamp
• Letter to the editor: City needs to keep its sidewalks in good repair
• Letter to the editor: Three quotes speak volumes on government’s real role

A reader says Susan Collins should leverage her role on a key committee to advance legislation to maintain federal funding even if Congress can't agree on a budget. Associated Press/J. Scott Applewhite

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., each has introduced separate legislation that would prevent shutdowns from being used as a political ploy. Both measures (S.104, sponsored by Portman, and Warner’s S.198) would ensure that government services stay funded at their current levels even if Congress can’t agree on a new budget in time.

Just counting the number of co-sponsors for each, there’s surely a bipartisan pathway to clearing the 60-vote threshold needed to pass. Sen. Collins sits on the Appropriations Committee and could have a role in helping enact either proposal. She should take a public stand of support and throw all her weight toward passing them.

President Trump has threatened to shut the government down again on Feb. 15 if he still doesn’t have funding for his wall. McConnell would probably let him, again. It’s up to rank-and-file senators – Democrats and Republicans – to stop this from happening.

I hope Sen. Collins will follow her strong words with even stronger action, and help end these unjustified shutdowns once and for all.

Charles Skold

Freeport

Related Stories