Government Shutdown Temporarily Averted
The House and Senate have agreed to a two-week stopgap spending bill that will keep the government open until Dec. 22, as Republicans and Democrats try to find a compromise top-line spending number that will allow them to finalize FY 2018 budgets for federal agencies. Additionally, many in Congress have stated that their vote on a final budget will be withheld until a permanent status is developed for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. While the development is welcomed news, delays in finalizing appropriations for FY 2018 slow the work of federal agencies and their grantees.