For the primary time in near seven years, Congress failed to achieve a price range settlement in time for the brand new fiscal 12 months. Consequently, the federal authorities has shut down, inflicting nationwide ripple results with short- and long-term implications for colleges.
Congress has struggled lately to satisfy self-imposed appropriations deadlines. The negotiations had been notably contentious this 12 months within the wake of the Trump administration’s unprecedented push to unilaterally alter federal spending choices to align them with the president’s coverage preferences.
Home Republicans are pushing to increase present federal spending ranges for just a few weeks or months whereas Congress works out a full price range. However within the Senate, the place the 53-member Republican majority wants seven Democrats to move price range laws, Democrats have refused to approve a price range that doesn’t embrace new protections in opposition to Republican-approved health-care cuts and President Donald Trump’s efforts to avoid congressional spending choices.
With no consensus on Capitol Hill for even a portion of the federal price range, companies started implementing shutdown contingency plans on Oct. 1. A whole lot of 1000’s of federal staff have been furloughed, threatening the soundness of a variety of social providers. Trump and different prime officers have additionally mentioned they plan to make use of the shutdown as a chance to punish Democrats, together with with spending cuts for states they lead.
Training Week is monitoring the consequences of the federal government shutdown on Okay-12 colleges. Right here’s the newest.
