When Congress fails to pass appropriations, the consequences fall squarely on the American people — not on the lawmakers responsible. Federal employees and military families lose income, vital services are suspended, and public trust in government erodes. Yet during shutdowns, members of Congress often continue to receive their pay and are free to leave Washington.

Even more, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle increasingly see government shutdowns as a tool to gain political leverage and advance their policy agenda. They are no longer incentivized to prioritize funding the government, one of their explicitly expressed Constitutional duties. 

This is unacceptable.

We, the undersigned, call on Congress to pass legislation requiring that during any lapse in appropriations, all members of Congress must remain in continuous session within the U.S. Capitol until the government is reopened.

Specifically, we demand legislation that includes the following provisions:

1. Continuous Session Requirement:
   Both the House of Representatives and the Senate must remain in session every day during a government shutdown until all appropriations are enacted to reopen the government.
2. No Recess or Adjournment:
   All recesses, district work periods, and adjournments are suspended during any lapse in appropriations.
3. Mandatory Physical Presence:
   Members of Congress are required to remain physically present within the U.S. Capitol complex until appropriations are passed and signed into law.
4. Limited Exceptions:
   Exceptions should only apply for verified medical emergencies or matters of national security requiring a member’s presence elsewhere.

If ordinary Americans are expected to bear the burden of Congress’s inaction, then members of Congress should share in the discomfort until they do their job and reopen the government.

This is not a partisan demand — it is a call for responsibility, integrity, and leadership. Americans deserve a government that works for them, not one that walks away when negotiations get difficult.

If you can’t pass a budget, you shouldn’t be on break.
If the people you represent are suffering, you shouldn’t leave the building.
Accountability starts with shared consequences.

We urge every member of Congress to support and pass the “Stay in Session Act” or similar legislation to make this principle the law of the land.

No work, no recess. No excuses.