For the primary time in near seven years, Congress failed to succeed in a funds settlement in time for the brand new fiscal yr. Because of this, the federal authorities has shut down, inflicting nationwide ripple results with short- and long-term implications for faculties.
Congress has struggled in recent times to satisfy self-imposed appropriations deadlines. The negotiations had been significantly contentious this yr within the wake of the Trump administration’s unprecedented push to unilaterally alter federal spending selections to align them with the president’s coverage preferences.
Home Republicans are pushing to increase present federal spending ranges for a couple of weeks or months whereas Congress works out a full funds. However within the Senate, the place the 53-member Republican majority wants seven Democrats to go funds laws, Democrats have refused to approve a funds that doesn’t embrace new protections in opposition to Republican-approved health-care cuts and President Donald Trump’s efforts to bypass congressional spending selections.
With no consensus on Capitol Hill for even a portion of the federal funds, companies started implementing shutdown contingency plans on Oct. 1. Lots of of 1000’s of federal employees have been furloughed, threatening the soundness of a variety of social companies. Trump and different prime officers have additionally mentioned they plan to make use of the shutdown as a possibility to punish Democrats, together with with spending cuts for states they lead.
Schooling Week is monitoring the results of the federal government shutdown on Ok-12 faculties. Right here’s the newest.
