# 119-hr-2180: Keep the Watchdogs Running Act

119-hr-2180, Keep the Watchdogs Running Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11] (D-VA); status introduced (as of 2026-04-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2180
- As of: 2026-04-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-2180
- Congress: 119
- Title: Keep the Watchdogs Running Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-03-18
- Sponsor: Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11] (D-VA)
- Cosponsors: 16
- Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-21

## Summary

**This bill would ensure watchdogs stay running during funding gaps.** It would add a new subsection to 5 U.S.C. 406(g) that lets an Inspector General incur obligations in advance of appropriations and perform the Office's duties for any program or operation that continues during a lapse in appropriations. - Inspectors General offices would be allowed to incur obligations in advance of appropriations for amounts necessary and at rates and under the authority and conditions of the most recently enacted appropriations acts. These powers apply notwithstanding other law. - Oversight of programs that keep operating during a funding lapse would continue because IGs could perform their Office duties with respect to those programs and operations. - The bill creates an explicit legal basis for IG activity during lapses so oversight does not automatically stop when appropriations lapse.

## Cosponsors (16)

- Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8] (D-MA), 2025-03-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20] (D-TX), 2025-03-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2025-03-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7] (D-IL), 2025-03-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5] (D-GA), 2025-03-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25] (D-FL), 2025-03-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12] (D-MI), 2025-03-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42] (D-CA), 2025-03-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1] (D-NM), 2025-03-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10] (D-NY), 2025-03-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2] (D-CO), 2025-03-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2] (D-MA), 2025-03-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4] (D-WI), 2025-04-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7] (D-IN), 2025-04-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13] (D-MI), 2025-04-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4] (D-IL), 2025-04-07T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Keep watchdog oversight running in shutdowns: benefit, medium. If enacted, federal agency watchdogs (Inspectors General) would be able to keep working during a government shutdown. They could incur obligations before new funding arrives, but only what is necessary and at a rate for operations. They would have to follow the rules and limits in the most recent a…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025
- 119-hr-15: Equality Act
- 119-hr-2743: Raise the Wage Act of 2025
- 119-hr-1589: American Dream and Promise Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-2180 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2180)

## Related
- [119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9877)
- [119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-51)
- [119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-20)
- [119-hr-15: Equality Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-15)
- [119-hr-2743: Raise the Wage Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2743)
- [119-hr-1589: American Dream and Promise Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1589)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2180 (as of 2026-04-21).