Washington’s shutdown put national security and troop pay at risk. Here’s the fix.

When Washington shuts down, our nation’s national security and military families bear the brunt of the consequences.

Since Congress couldn’t agree on something as simple as essential funding, America’s warfighters almost weren’t paid, and key agencies in the Department of Homeland Security furloughed workers hired to keep the country safe.

American readiness and troop pay should be nonnegotiable, but under our current system, that isn’t always the case.

The recent record-setting 43-day shutdown shows the damage is real, not just hypothetical.

How American security was jeopardized during the shutdown

• Cyber readiness degraded: During the 2025 lapse in funding, DHS’ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency responded by furloughing about 65% of its workforce, risking increased vulnerability to cyberattacks.
• Troop pay was on a knife-edge: To keep October’s mid-month paycheck from failing, the Pentagon used about $8 billion that Congress had appropriated for research and development. This emergency workaround was only a temporary fix and compromised our defense innovation capacity.
• The civilian defense workforce was hit hard: Hundreds of thousands of civilian defense workers were furloughed or worked without pay, disrupting military base operations and training, while their families dealt with the stress of missed paychecks.
• Military acquisitions were thrown into limbo: The shutdown cast significant doubt on the timely procurement and modernization of essential equipment and technology. Critical contracts faced postponement, and planning for future capabilities became uncertain, which undermined confidence among both defense suppliers and military planners.

What’s worse is that this wasn’t the first time.

Past shutdowns have also furloughed large swaths of the civilian workforce and delayed mission-critical work, resulting in measurable economic and security costs.

The solution: Pass the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act

Shutdowns are ultimately a choice.

Leveraging American security and soldier pay is immoral and unsustainable. The Prevent Government Shutdowns Act eliminates shutdowns by keeping the government open while forcing Congress to stay put until it completes its task of approving funds.

No recess, no excuses, and no more using American security as a bargaining chip.

This solution isn’t just theoretical ― it has proven successful in multiple states, including North Carolina, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin.

The bottom line is the PGSA ensures veteran services continue, troops receive paychecks, and Congress does its job, so Washington can’t use national security or military families as leverage ever again.

The problem with America’s budgeting process is multifaceted

The reality is that the PGSA is one way to help prevent shutdowns, but the problems run deep.

Outdated rules have turned congressional budgeting into a political game, fueling deficits and our spiraling national debt.

That’s why we support a handful of policies aimed at streamlining budgeting in the United States.

• The Comprehensive Congressional Budget Act would modernize the budgeting process by requiring every committee to weigh in so that the annual budget is unified and transparent.
• The Midnight Rules Relief Act would stop outgoing administrations from rushing through last-minute regulations during the lame duck period. It would protect businesses and local governments from the burden of sudden regulatory shocks and improve economic stability.
• The Reorganizing Government Act empowers Congress and the executive to streamline agencies, eliminate redundancies, and focus resources on high-priority expenditures. This saves the taxpayer money and improves government efficiency.

Help us Make Government Work

Sign our petition: Take a minute to add your name to our petition, telling Congress to pass commonsense reforms like PGSA.

Dive deeper: Become an expert on the PGSA and the danger of government shutdowns by reading this blog by AFP’s Will Burger.

Use your voice: Join Concerned Veterans for America’s grassroots army to advocate for policies that benefit veterans and all Americans.