Hello John,

Washington recently reminded us what happens when politics comes before responsibility: Military families and national security pay the price.

Because Congress couldn’t agree on basic funding,

• Civilian defense workers missed paychecks, and military families came dangerously close.
• Key cybersecurity personnel were furloughed.
• Military bases operated at minimal capacity.

Our recent blog breaks down just how severe the damage was.

During the record-breaking 43-day shutdown, 65% of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency staff were furloughed, leaving our country more vulnerable to cyberattacks.

Here’s the worst part: Hundreds of thousands of civilian defense workers went without pay, disrupting base operations, training, and family budgets.

Mid-month pay for active-duty soldiers was also almost withheld. The Pentagon was forced to use $8 billion intended for research and development to cover troop pay because the shutdown lasted so long.

This was not a hypothetical crisis. Real people were affected while our national security was weakened.

We have a solution.

The Prevent Government Shutdowns Act ensures that during future budget disagreements:

• The government stays open
• Troops get paid
• Military bases operate at capacity
• Congress stays in session until it does its job

No more holding the American people and national security hostage.

The PGSA isn’t just a hypothetical solution either. States like North Carolina and Wisconsin operate successfully under similar legislation.

It’s time to prioritize stability, accountability, and national security over partisan bickering.

👉 Dive deeper: Read our full breakdown of how the shutdown threatened American security — and the reforms that can fix it.

👉 Rise up: Join CVA’s grassroots army and help us hold Congress accountable.