Struggling, again, to avoid another government shutdown

Here we go again. Just like clockwork, the federal government is poised to shut down in just a few weeks if Congress doesn’t come up with a new spending plan to keep the government operational. We’ve seen this too many times. Rather than analyze where our tax dollars should best be spent, Congress keeps approving stopgap spending measures known as continuing resolutions, which simply keep the government funded at current levels to avoid a shutdown. This time they are trying to tie the budget deal to legislation that would require those registering to vote to provide proof of U.S. citizenship. Keep in mind, it is already illegal for non-citizens to vote in U.S. elections, and it rarely happens. A recent study found just 30 possible cases of non-citizens voting, out of more than 25 million ballots cast. Besides, funding the government and election security have nothing to do with each other, and getting a new budget should not be dependent on addressing some non-existent voter fraud. Even if Congress were to pass this bill, the Senate won’t, leaving just two weeks before the government is poised to shut down. Our elected officials in Washington should determine what federal agencies actually need and craft a long-term budget that reflects that, rather than risking a government shutdown every six months.