(The Center Square) – With the ongoing government shutdown dragging on for a record-breaking period of time, U.S. lawmakers are introducing bills to make shutdowns as painful for Congress as they are for federal workers.

Since the government shut down on Oct.1 after Senate Democrats filibustered Republicans’ House-passed funding bill, hundreds of thousands of federal workers have been furloughed without pay. Thousands more are forced to work without pay because their jobs are considered “essential,” such as air traffic controllers and federal police officers.

Originally published on thecentersquare.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.