Maneuvering on Funding Begins

The delayed action on agency budgets has set off the type of speculation and maneuvering that often has occurred in imilar situations in the past. There is a general expectation that at least some of the remaining appropriations bills ultimately will be packaged into a catchall measure to covering the rest of the current fiscal year. The current extension generally continues funding at fiscal 2007 levels, except for adding money in some areas, mainly for veterans’ health care and disaster relief programs. However, the Army has warned that unless it receives a requested war supplemental, it would have to take budget-cutting steps including potential furloughs of employees starting around February. Because of the advance notification period required for furloughs, notices might start going out in December, officials have said.