TALLAHASSEE, Fl. (WTXL) -- U.S. Representative Gwen Graham announced her new "Shutdown Prevention Act" Friday in Tallahassee.
She's looking to eliminate future shutdown threats and implement measures to force Congress to pass an annual budget. Graham says the legislation would take away power from the small minority that is causing chaos in Congress, and put it back in the hands of the moderate majority.
It would allow any member of Congress to offer a 30-day extension in the event of a shutdown, during which time their travel funds would be cut off, recesses forbidden, and limiting weekends to just two days.
If the issue is not resolved during that time, the penalty measures would re-activate.
"What this is going to require Congress to do is to do their jobs, get together, figure out a budget, fund what needs to be funded, and do what the american people expect us to do and what the american people do everyday," said Graham, "They budget for their lives. And they have weekends that are two-day weekends. And they can't just abandon the responsibilities when the going gets tough."
Graham says the new act is in an effort to avoid a shutdown like the one in 2013, which she says hurt small businesses, economic growth and job creation.
This comes after Wednesday night's vote for a clean continuing resolution, in which a government shutdown was prevented, just hours before funding lapsed.
