My bill is remarkably simple: it simply says when you do an appropriation, it doesn’t expire until you do the next appropriation, meaning that would always stay active. You can never go into a shutdown, and until there’s enough pressure to do a new appropriation, that previous one stays in place.
I will support legislation to prevent future government shutdowns by keeping appropriations in effect until Congress enacts the next appropriation.
Occurrences
Evidence
unverified · Source version 16847 · locator unknown
Congress.gov lists John R. Curtis as a Republican senator from Utah in the 119th Congress, with prior House service for Utah's 3rd District from the 115th through 118th Congresses.
unverified · Source version 34863 · locator unknown
Congress.gov lists H.R.5743, sponsored by John R. Curtis, titled to require the Secretary of the Interior to repay states for operating National Park System units during a government shutdown. The bill was introduced and referred to committee.
unverified · Source version 34863 · locator unknown
Congress.gov lists H.R.5695, the No Work, No Pay Act of 2023, sponsored by John R. Curtis and referred to the House Administration and Oversight and Accountability committees.
unverified · Source version 34864 · locator unknown
Congress.gov shows H.R.1968 became Public Law 119-4. CRS summarizes that it provided continuing FY2025 appropriations for the remainder of FY2025 and prevented a shutdown that would otherwise occur when the existing CR expired on March 14, 2025.
unverified · Source version 64012 · locator unknown
119-103 | H.R. 6500 | Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027 | Sept. 2, 2026 | 140 Stat. 987 | 24
verified · Source version 64014 · locator 4900
Congress must enact regular appropriations bills for FY2027 or an additional CR prior to the expiration of this CR to avoid a funding gap beginning on December 12, 2026, that may result in a shutdown of affected government activities.
unverified · Source version 64016 · locator unknown
Vote Result: Bill Passed. Measure Title: An act making continuing appropriations and extensions for fiscal year 2027, and for other purposes. Curtis (R-UT), Yea
unverified · Source version 64018 · locator unknown
Vote Result: Cloture on the Motion to Proceed Rejected. Measure Title: A bill to provide for automatic continuing appropriations. Curtis (R-UT), Yea
unverified · Source version 64020 · locator unknown
This bill has the status Introduced. This bill provides continuing appropriations to prevent a government shutdown if the appropriations bills for a fiscal year have not been enacted before the fiscal year begins and continuing appropriations are not in effect.
verified · Source version 64022 · locator 6850
That’s why I will introduce the Appropriations on Demand Act. Rather than sticking to an arbitrary annual cycle that fuels last-minute chaos, this legislation would require a new budget only when clear shifts in priorities or circumstances demand it.
verified · Source version 75679 · locator 5891
Sec. 106. Unless otherwise provided for in this Act or in the applicable appropriations Act for fiscal year 2027, appropriations and funds made available and authority granted pursuant to this Act shall be available until whichever of the following first occurs: (1) The enactment into law of an appropriation for any project or activity provided for in this Act. (2) The enactment into law of the applicable appropriations Act for fiscal year 2027 without any provision for such project or activity. (3) <<NOTE: Expiration date.>> December 11, 2026.
verified · Source version 75681 · locator 305
Division A of Public Law (P.L.) 119-103 ( the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027) (CR) provides continuing appropriations for the period October 1, 2026, through December 11, 2026.
unverified · Source version 75683 · locator unknown
S. 2806.-- To provide for automatic continuing appropriations. Ordered placed on the calendar Sept. 16, 2025.
unverified · Source version 64018 · locator unknown
Vote Result: Cloture on the Motion to Proceed Rejected Measure Title: A bill to provide for automatic continuing appropriations. Curtis (R-UT), Yea
unverified · Source version 64016 · locator unknown
Question: On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 6500, as amended ) Vote Result: Bill Passed Measure Title: An act making continuing appropriations and extensions for fiscal year 2027, and for other purposes. Curtis (R-UT), Yea
Assessments
The verified commitment was to keep appropriations active until the next appropriation so future shutdowns cannot occur. The verified enacted law in the record is only a temporary continuing appropriation: P.L. 119-103 expires on December 11, 2026 unless replaced earlier, and CRS states another appropriation or CR is needed to avoid a funding gap beginning December 12, 2026. That does not deliver the standing automatic continuing-appropriations mechanism promised. Because there is no documented deadline and no verified evidence of enactment of the promised mechanism, the status remains unresolved rather than never. The original verified commitment refers to Curtis's own bill, supporting an effort badge, but the verified passages do not establish an enacted outcome attributable to him.
Curtis supported shutdown-related legislation and, during his Senate term, Congress enacted FY2025 continuing appropriations that avoided an immediate shutdown. However, the promised outcome was a standing automatic continuing appropriations mechanism keeping funding in effect until the next appropriation, and the record provided does not show that such legislation became law. His sponsored shutdown bills addressed pay consequences and National Park reimbursement, not the promised automatic CR mechanism. This warrants partial credit for related action and shutdown prevention, with an effort badge for serious but incomplete legislative activity.