Let me say this as clearly as possible: When the Democrats shut down our federal government, it was not a strategy. That was their failure.
Over the past forty days, the term “government shutdown” has become interchangeable for Democrats with words like “leverage” or “to make a point.” But for millions of Americans, this shutdown was not political theater. It was a gut punch. It meant missed paychecks, unpaid bills on credit cards with mounting interest, delayed travel, national security risks and uncertainty about whether the people who protect and serve this country will get paid on time – or at all.
When government funding ran out due to a Democratic tantrum, it wasn’t them who immediately felt the pain. It was the air traffic controllers and TSA officers who kept our airspace safe. They were the Coast Guard members who patrolled our coasts, the Border Patrol agents who defended our border, and the soldiers and sailors who stood guard overseas. They were asked to continue showing up and doing their jobs while Washington argued over the topics of conversation.
That’s not leadership. That’s treason.
TRUMP signs bill that ends the longest government shutdown in American history
And it doesn’t stop with those in uniform. When the government shut down, families across the country felt the ripple effects. National parks are closed, affecting small businesses that rely on tourism. Federal loan processing and housing assistance halted, slowing home sales and construction projects. Airports rallied as morale and staffing levels dropped, jeopardizing aviation safety. Every level of government that supports our daily lives collapsed under the weight of political dysfunction.
From a national security perspective, shutdowns are particularly dangerous. Military training schedules were disrupted, equipment repairs were delayed, and planning was pushed back for weeks or months. And I have no doubt that our adversaries have seen that dysfunction and read it as weakness — with China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin laughing as Democrats plunged our country into chaos so they could fund DEI locust reduction in Africa or transgender job fairs in Bangladesh. The world doesn’t stop while Congress debates, and the threats we face certainly don’t wait for continued resolution.
As the shutdown ends, angry Democrats eat their own country
But Democrats seem to forget that this shutdown is not a victimless mistake. It cost billions in lost productivity and inefficiency. This year alone, the VA was able to process more than 3 million disability claims, significantly reducing the backlog. This shutdown stopped that momentum. We have successfully closed our border and no illegal immigrants are entering our country. This shutdown jeopardized that progress. The American people should not have to live with that uncertainty and danger every time Congress can’t meet a deadline.
This year alone, the VA was able to process more than 3 million disability claims, significantly reducing the backlog. This shutdown stopped that momentum during the government shutdown. (Robert Alexander/Getty Images)
It’s time for Congress to fix this broken system once and for all. But we must also face another simple truth: Although we have been able to reopen the government this time, the majority of Democrats in Congress would rather see America continue to suffer. We must operate under the belief that Democrats in Congress will always put their political interests above the American people. So how can we stop this pain and suffering in the future?
Democrats seem to forget that this shutdown is not a victimless mistake. It cost billions in lost productivity and inefficiency.
The first step is to resolve the ongoing threat to our national security. While some would have found it unimaginable, we have just witnessed Democrats trying to gain “influence” over the past 43 days by using our service members’ pay as a pressure point. This is unacceptable. That’s why I wrote the Pay Our Patriots Act – to mandate pay for our essential military personnel and air traffic controllers during a government shutdown. While the Constitution requires members of Congress to be paid even during a government shutdown, our military is left out in the cold. That has to change.
Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., during a House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing on Capitol Hill on Jan. 11, 2024. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
Next, we need to reform the budget process itself. Each year, Congress must pass twelve appropriations bills on time. Every year we fall short and resort to temporary places that shake things up. We have to clean it up.
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It is that same driving principle that fueled my commitment to reauthorize the Department of State for the first time in more than two decades. Just as we need stability and oversight for our foreign policy institutions, we need the same in our appropriations process. Reauthorization is about bringing transparency, structure, and modern priorities to the way America engages the world – ensuring that every dollar and every decision reflects our national interests and values. Whether it means standing strong abroad or keeping the lights on at home.
Fixing our appropriations process and ending the cycle of government shutdowns that continue to plague us is about restoring accountability and order to the way we finance our government. It’s about ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly and that the men and women who serve our country don’t pay the price for Congress’s dysfunction.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer speak to reporters after meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House about averting a government shutdown on September 29. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
We need to enforce real deadlines, improve committee discipline, and bring transparency to how taxpayer money is allocated. Governing based on a crisis is no way to lead.
I represent Florida’s 21st District, home to military families, veterans, small business owners and public servants. They don’t have the luxury of sticking to made-up principles or throwing tantrums when they don’t get their way. Neither should Democrats in Congress. This government shutdown made it loud and clear that Democrats view the American people as leverage. That is unacceptable and we cannot let it happen again.
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The American people deserve a government that works – a government that protects their paychecks, their safety and their trust. Let’s solve this problem that plagues us year after year, protect the American taxpayer, and ensure that the United States government never goes bankrupt again.
That’s not politics. That is duty.
CLICK HERE TO FROM REP. BRIAN MAST
