Another Partial Government Shutdown Looming Beginning December 12

Political leaders once again are coming up on a government funding deadline with no clear course in sight to prevent what otherwise would be a partial government shutdown starting December 12. A plan of action may emerge by the end of this week but even that would leave little working time for it to clear Congress. Unlike in many past years in such situations, overall spending levels are not so much the issue, in light of a late-September agreement that extended spending through next Friday and that boosted allowable funding above the previous overall limits in both defense and non-defense areas. However, the policy differences that brought the government to the brink of a partial closure then—the most serious threat since the two-week funding lapse of October 2013—remain unresolved, and issues of immigration policy have since been added to the mix. Another short-term extension to buy more time is possible—with the target adjournment date of December 18 being mentioned—as well as other options, such as extending all agency spending into beyond the turn of the year, or providing full-year funding for some agencies while temporarily extending agencies involved with the hangup issues. That was done last year with DHS over a separate immigration matter but in the meantime allowed for full-year funding for others. However, chances also remain for a short-term funding lapse. That would cause about 800,000 federal employees to be sent home on unpaid furloughs while the remainder would have to stay on the job, also unpaid for the meantime but guaranteed of being paid retroactively later. Past practice in such situations, including two years ago, has been to also pay those furloughed as if they had worked. However, that must be agreed to each time.