Ron Johnson on Russian Sanctions, Government Shutdowns, and Federal Employee Pay

Secondary Sanctions on Russia

• 🎯 Secondary sanctions against Russia are a tool to pressure Putin, and their timing is ultimately up to the President.
• 💡 The President is described as desiring peace and pursuing it through strength, but he is likely growing frustrated with dealing with Vladimir Putin.
• ⚠️ Putin is called a war criminal for invading Ukraine, and the conflict is seen as likely to end in a negotiated settlement that may not be favorable.

Government Shutdown and Appropriations

• 🏛️ A full-year continuing resolution (CR) through December 2026 is suggested as a potential workaround for the shutdown.
• 🚫 Senator Johnson advocates for his "Eliminate Shutdowns Act", which proposes automatic 14-day continuing appropriations to allow time for agreement on bills.
• 📉 The current appropriations process is described as broken, failing 96.77% of the time, with a history of last-minute, multi-thousand-page bills being presented.

Federal Employee Pay and Shutdown Fairness

• 🤝 The "Shutdown Fairness Act" aims to ensure federal workers are paid on time, rather than waiting for back pay, to prevent them from needing to use food banks or take on side jobs.
• ⚖️ This act is supported by the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association and is seen as a common-sense solution to prevent federal employees from paying for government dysfunction.
• ⏳ The current system is criticized as dysfunctional, leading to shutdowns and a national debt exceeding $38 trillion.