Bill Overview
Title: No Flights Act
Description: This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives to convene a session of the House on each day during a government shutdown, including weekends and legal public holidays. Additionally, the bill prohibits federal funds from being used to pay for travel by a Member of Congress during any government shutdown, except for travel by a Member to the District of Columbia metropolitan area.
Sponsors: Rep. O'Halleran, Tom [D-AZ-1]
Target Audience
Population: Lawmakers
Estimated Size: 538
- The primary group impacted by this bill are U.S. lawmakers, specifically Members of Congress.
- The bill affects lawmakers' ability to use federal funds for travel during a government shutdown, which impacts their mobility and travel plans.
- Over 500 members of Congress (both House and Senate) could be directly affected when considering possible participation in the legislative activities held by the Speaker of the House.
- The bill's requirement for daily convening only applies explicitly to the House of Representatives.
- Families and staff of the lawmakers may experience indirect or secondary impacts in terms of travel or scheduling, though not explicitly mentioned in the bill as the primary target.
Reasoning
- The policy primarily impacts federal lawmakers, specifically Members of Congress, during a government shutdown, which directly addresses the mobility limitations due to restricted travel funds. This constraint might lead to low or relatively no change in wellbeing for non-affected citizens, while lawmakers themselves have varied responses based on how they perceive mobility constraints and civic duties.
- Considering the target population, the number of individuals directly impacted (538) is relatively small compared to the total U.S. population, meaning the overall broad-spectrum impact is limited. However, given the high-profile nature of the individuals affected, secondary and public opinion effects could have compounded importance. The provision for daily convening during shutdowns applies specifically to the House, impacting legislative operations and possibly the lawmakers’ personal lives during such times.
- The budget constraints suggest this policy, although financially limited in terms of direct fiscal impact, is more a question of operational and procedural restriction. Thus, adjustments in Wellbeing Scores reflect mobility constraints or perceptions of duty rather than fiscal allowances.
- The simulated interviews include a range of perspectives from directly affected lawmakers to minimally affected citizens, maintaining diversity in professional standing and personal circumstances.
Simulated Interviews
Congressman (New York, NY)
Age: 57 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy could be a double-edged sword.
- It ensures focus on resolving shutdowns, but restricts personal time with family.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Congresswoman (Sacramento, CA)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.5 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Personal inconvenience, but the duty to serve comes first.
- Cuts down on unnecessary travels during shutdowns, which is good.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 10 |
Senator (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 39 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's frustrating in terms of family commitments, but necessary.
- Senate isn't directly bound but still an operational clamp.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Political Aide (Miami, FL)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.5 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As an aide, it impacts my scheduling indirectly.
- Less travel means more predictable workload during shutdowns.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Retired Doctor (Springfield, IL)
Age: 63 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Shouldn't affect me much, but hope it ends shutdowns faster.
- Good riddance to government dysfunction.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Lobbyist (Washington, D.C.)
Age: 72 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 1.5 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Complicates my work scheduling during shutdowns.
- Hope it creates pressure to resolve issues faster.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Political Science Graduate Student (Columbus, OH)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Interesting to see how Congress adapts to this regulation.
- Could serve as a real-world case for my studies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Civil Engineer (Austin, TX)
Age: 36 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Shutdown impacts on projects are more my concern.
- Anything to improve resolutions is welcome.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
High School Teacher (Boston, MA)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Great teaching moment about checks and balances.
- Means less blame-shifting, hopefully.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Businessman (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 68 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 0.5 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Anything reducing shutdown duration seems positive.
- Reflects some accountability on elected officials.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $500000 (Low: $400000, High: $600000)
Year 2: $500000 (Low: $400000, High: $600000)
Year 3: $500000 (Low: $400000, High: $600000)
Year 5: $500000 (Low: $400000, High: $600000)
Year 10: $500000 (Low: $400000, High: $600000)
Year 100: $500000 (Low: $400000, High: $600000)
Key Considerations
- The act focuses on procedural changes during government shutdowns and intends to maintain legislative activity in the House of Representatives, which has a minimal fiscal footprint relative to most federal budgetary lines.
- Potential minor savings from restricted travel funding could slightly alleviate unnecessary expenditure during fiscal constraints, depending on the shutdown's duration and frequency.