Last March, Congress passed, and President Trump signed a continuing resolution to fund the government through September 30, which is the end of the federal fiscal year. Congress will need to act before the end of the month to avoid a government shutdown.
Since the budget requires 60 votes in the Senate, and it does not appear that negotiations have begun, it is unclear whether an agreement can be reached by the deadline. Further, given the compressed timeframe and the narrow margins in both chambers, it is likely that another short-term extension will need to be enacted prior to September 30. Otherwise, a government shutdown will occur.
A federal government shutdown may stop, among other programs, discretionary formula grants to municipalities. During past federal shutdowns, a wide range of services were affected, including public assistance programs, national park closures, the reduction of some food safety programs, the reduction of access to some veterans’ programs, and the inability to process federal housing and small business loans.
We will continue to monitor events and report as necessary.
Contact: Paul Penna, Director of Government Affairs, ppenna@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x110.