The Pentagon is taking steps to prepare for a government shutdown in eight days, but a spokesman still urged Congress to “do the right thing” and pass a budget.
Peter Cook, Pentagon press secretary, said Tuesday that the military is beginning preparations in case Congress is unable to reach a deal to keep the government open, noting that the Pentagon got some practice when the government shut down in 2013 for more than two weeks.
“We are conducting prudent planning that would be needed in the event something like that happens. We do have some experience at that, so the steps that need to be taken at this point out — and we still have some time, we’re optimistic for some resolution that the shutdown can be avoided — but we are taking some of the prudent steps behind the scenes … just to be prepared,” Cook told reporters at the Pentagon.
Still, he urged Congress to find a resolution to give the Pentagon some budget certainty. A shutdown would have “a significant impact on his building and on operations,” Cook said, though he declined to give specifics.
“The notion of another government shutdown is not a very pleasing prospect for this building,” he said.
