BURSTThe current government shutdown is the just latest reminder of what Americans already know: the federal government is dysfunctional.
Nowhere is this more evident than in Congress, where a broken budget process and a steady erosion of legislative authority have made responsible governance increasingly difficult.
Every year, Washington lurches from one budget crisis to another, repeatedly dragging our nation to the brink of shutdown, the threat of which is used as political leverage. Meanwhile, unelected agency bureaucrats continue to issue rules and regulations without public input, placing unnecessary burdens on American businesses and weakening the economy.
These are not mere procedural glitches — they undermine the foundation of an accountable representative government.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Fortunately, serious solutions are working their way through Congress. These commonsense measures aim to restore accountability, efficiency and transparency by returning power where the Constitution placed it: in the hands of the American people through their elected representatives.
The Founders granted the “power of the purse” to Congress — it is the branch closest to the people and the most accountable. But outdated rules and the constant threat of shutdowns have turned the budget process into a political game.
Shutdowns have consequences. They disrupt vital government services, paralyze national defense operations and inject needless instability into the economy. Faced with these threats, lawmakers must make a difficult choice: either rush through oversized last-minute spending bills or let essential government functions grind to a halt.
It is an unacceptable way to govern.
One commonsense solution is the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act, which would require Congress to remain in session until it passes the 12 appropriations bills necessary to fund the government. If Congress fails to pass them on time, the government stays open automatically at current funding levels. This takes shutdowns off the table as a political weapon and ensures stability while lawmakers continue to pass spending bills. States such as North Carolina, Wisconsin and Rhode Island already use similar systems with proven success.
But the problem goes deeper than shutdown brinkmanship. The entire federal budget process is outdated and dysfunctional, contributing to runaway deficits and a ballooning national debt.
That’s why Congress should also adopt the Comprehensive Congressional Budget Act to modernize the process by requiring input from all congressional committees and establishing a holistic annual budget act. A yearly budget cycle would give lawmakers a consistent opportunity to collaborate across party lines, negotiate in good faith, and reduce partisan gridlock. Lawmakers would have the tools to tackle wasteful spending and chart a sustainable fiscal path for the future, bringing greater accountability and transparency to how taxpayer dollars are spent.
Unfortunately, budgeting isn’t the only source of government waste. Another major driver lies in how power has increasingly shifted from Congress to executive branch agencies.
Regulations with the force of law are now routinely written by federal bureaucrats without approval from Congress and without accountability to voters. In 2021 alone, more than 3,000 such regulations were issued. These rules can have massive impacts on industries, jobs and everyday lives — it’s estimated that they cost the average U.S. household $23,000 per year. Additionally, many agencies have overlapping missions, confusing lines of authority and outdated processes — all of which cost taxpayers billions.
A number of bills are underway that aim to curb this waste and restore the role of Congress as the lawmaking body.
The REINS Act, for example, requires that Congress approve all major regulations. This restores the constitutional balance of power and ensures that elected representatives — not unelected bureaucrats — have oversight over the rules that shape our economy and society.
Another proposal, the Midnight Rules Relief Act, addresses a related problem: the flood of last-minute regulations rushed through at the end of each outgoing administration. This practice creates chaos for businesses and local governments, which must scramble to adapt to policies that may soon be overturned. The bill would curb such lame-duck rulemaking to promote stability and fairness.
Complementing efforts to combat waste and confusion, the Reorganizing Government Act empowers Congress and the executive branch to streamline government operations, eliminate redundancies, and focus resources where they are needed most. Not only would this save taxpayer money, but it would also make the government more efficient at delivering services.
Together, these reforms form a cohesive plan to make government more accountable. They are not partisan gimmicks or symbolic gestures — they are practical steps to address real problems.
Americans deserve a government that is open, efficient and accountable. For too long, Washington has operated on autopilot, leaving us frustrated and disillusioned. It’s time to replace red tape with accountability, brinkmanship with responsibility and dysfunction with transparency.
These reforms won’t solve every problem overnight, but they represent a serious effort to make government work for the people it serves.
Will Burger is senior government affairs liaison at Americans for Prosperity.