How the Faster Labor Contracts Act could hurt workers

The federal government experienced its longest shutdown ever, 43 days, in 2025. And the Department of Homeland Security is currently on day 72 without funding due to Democrats’ support for illegal immigrants and their obstinate refusal to fully fund enforcement of our immigration laws.

It’s a difficult impasse, but since Congress has the exclusive “power of the purse,” lawmakers have no choice but to negotiate. Consider what would happen if either party in Congress could choose to hand over Congress’s authority to set federal spending levels to unelected federal arbitrators anytime the two sides fail to pass timely appropriations.