Legislative Affairs

After the 116^th Congress is sworn in tomorrow, officials will turn to the first item on their agenda-ending a partial ongoing government shutdown since December 22. Not all agencies are affected, as several (including the Department of Education) received full funding for the remaining federal fiscal year (FY19) from a spending package passed late September.

For more information, the Committee for Education Funding created a chart showing which appropriations bills have received full-year funding (bolded) and those with expired funding due to the shutdown. 

House Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Schumer (D-NY) announced their plan to vote on two legislative proposals to end the shutdown. The first vote will be on a spending package that includes six of the seven remaining FY19 appropriations bills; the second will be on a stopgap funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through February 8. The idea is to pass funding for bills that officials can agree on, while punting the deadline on DHS funding until Congress can find a solution for funding the president's border security initiative.

Fortunately, most federal education programs and schools should not be affected by a short-term shutdown. However some higher education and research institutions and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), Native Alaskan, and other Impact Aid schools may see immediate effects in funding. While most agencies have carryover funds/reserves to keep critical programs running in the short-term, a longer-term shutdown could be problematic and jeopardize federal programs, services, and pay. POLITICO reports that the next federal pay period ends January 5, and workers already are "wondering whether they will get their next check on Jan. 11." The article also highlights how several agencies are coping with the shutdown so far.

As this analysis also notes, "the impact of a federal shutdown on other governments is all about duration." Another factor is whether the federal program in question is mandatory or discretionary; mandatory programs like Medicaid and food stamps (SNAP) usually aren't affected. And, since it's a partial shutdown, "programs funded through the departments of Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Labor, and Veterans Affairs should not be affected" either. Most child nutrition programs would only start to see a financial impact if a shutdown lasted into February; for more information on that read here and in the meantime, please stay tuned for additional updates.

As federal officials continue searching for a solution to border and immigration policy disputes that have prolonged a partial government shutdown for nearly three weeks, President Trump presented his case for why addition border security is needed in an address to the nation yesterday.

In his speech, President Trump described the situation at the southern border as a "humanitarian crisis" and argued for $5.7 billion dollars to build a steel wall to increase national security. Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer rebutted and argued that "maintenance of existing border fencing, high-tech tools to scan vehicles crossing at ports of entry, and hiring more personnel would be cheaper and more effective than a wall."

Although Department of Education programs have been funded and most schools are not directly affected by the shutdown, a protracted shutdown will produce undesirable effects for school communities. POLITICO notes that nearly 5,000 employees and contractors in the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area have applied for unemployment benefits. In total, about 800,000 federal workers have been affected, 350,000 of which are furloughed, and the rest are working without pay. Consequently, school systems in the area are stepping up to ensure children of federal workers have access to affordable meals and are expediting applications for free/reduced meal programs. Some districts are working with furloughed federal employees to temporarily fill substitute positions.

The Trump administration said that SNAP/food stamps benefits would still be provided through February, "but officials could not promise those benefits will continue if the shutdown lasts until March." Meanwhile, child nutrition programs for school meals and after-school nutrition programs, will have enough funding through the end of March.

On another note, schools awaiting additional disaster aid funding, like those in Texas that are still recovering from Hurricane Harvey and preparing for the 2019 hurricane season, may see delays in funding. The shutdown affects the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which is responsible for issuing guidance on how states can apply for disaster relief aid; that guidance must be published before vital infrastructure projects can begin.

For more information about where negotiations stand to reopen the government, read this article, and stay tuned for more updates.

After the 116^th Congress is sworn in tomorrow, officials will turn to the first item on their agenda-ending a partial ongoing government shutdown since December 22. Not all agencies are affected, as several (including the Department of Education) received full funding for the remaining federal fiscal year (FY19) from a spending package passed late September.

For more information, the Committee for Education Funding created a chart showing which appropriations bills have received full-year funding (bolded) and those with expired funding due to the shutdown. 

House Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Schumer (D-NY) announced their plan to vote on two legislative proposals to end the shutdown. The first vote will be on a spending package that includes six of the seven remaining FY19 appropriations bills; the second will be on a stopgap funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through February 8. The idea is to pass funding for bills that officials can agree on, while punting the deadline on DHS funding until Congress can find a solution for funding the president's border security initiative.

Fortunately, most federal education programs and schools should not be affected by a short-term shutdown. However some higher education and research institutions and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), Native Alaskan, and other Impact Aid schools may see immediate effects in funding. While most agencies have carryover funds/reserves to keep critical programs running in the short-term, a longer-term shutdown could be problematic and jeopardize federal programs, services, and pay. POLITICO reports that the next federal pay period ends January 5, and workers already are "wondering whether they will get their next check on Jan. 11." The article also highlights how several agencies are coping with the shutdown so far.

As this analysis also notes, "the impact of a federal shutdown on other governments is all about duration." Another factor is whether the federal program in question is mandatory or discretionary; mandatory programs like Medicaid and food stamps (SNAP) usually aren't affected. And, since it's a partial shutdown, "programs funded through the departments of Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Labor, and Veterans Affairs should not be affected" either. Most child nutrition programs would only start to see a financial impact if a shutdown lasted into February; for more information on that read here and in the meantime, please stay tuned for additional updates.

As we nearly approach a month-long federal shutdown – the longest in U.S. history – Congress continues to try to find a funding solution that would pass its chambers and get the president's seal of approval to reopen the government's doors. Right now, officials are considering several options:

• Agree to last year's bipartisan Senate funding bills. So far, GOP Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has not called for a vote on any of these because he believes there is no point if the president won't sign them.
• Pass a short-term funding bill and continue negotiations. House Democrats want to extend funding through February to buy time for more negotiations, but the proposals are non-starters for the President. Trump is not interested in extending funding until Congress provides $5.7 billion for border security.
• Bipartisan Senate negotiations for a solution. A group of moderate Senators are trying to find compromise options that include a range of immigration policies and border security funding.
• President declares a national emergency to implement his border plan. Doing this could allow the president to repurpose existing funding to build a border wall, and then sign funding bills to reopen the government. However, the legal standing of this option is uncertain.

As aforementioned, the Department of Education has already been funded for the 2019 federal fiscal year, so its programs are not affected. However, schools may see a funding impact for programs they rely on outside of ED's jurisdiction, like FEMA disaster relief aid or nutrition programs depending on how long the shutdown lasts. The Department of Agriculture said it has enough reserve funds to continue federal meal reimbursements for nutrition programs through March. If the shutdown lasts longer than that, school districts may need to tap into emergency funds or cut funding from other programs to continue feeding students. For more information, Education Week explains how individuals school districts are being impacted and helping families affected by the shutdown cope here.

As federal officials continue searching for a solution to border and immigration policy disputes that have prolonged a partial government shutdown for nearly three weeks, President Trump presented his case for why addition border security is needed in an address to the nation yesterday.

In his speech, President Trump described the situation at the southern border as a "humanitarian crisis" and argued for $5.7 billion dollars to build a steel wall to increase national security. Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer rebutted and argued that "maintenance of existing border fencing, high-tech tools to scan vehicles crossing at ports of entry, and hiring more personnel would be cheaper and more effective than a wall."

Although Department of Education programs have been funded and most schools are not directly affected by the shutdown, a protracted shutdown will produce undesirable effects for school communities. POLITICO notes that nearly 5,000 employees and contractors in the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area have applied for unemployment benefits. In total, about 800,000 federal workers have been affected, 350,000 of which are furloughed, and the rest are working without pay. Consequently, school systems in the area are stepping up to ensure children of federal workers have access to affordable meals and are expediting applications for free/reduced meal programs. Some districts are working with furloughed federal employees to temporarily fill substitute positions.

The Trump administration said that SNAP/food stamps benefits would still be provided through February, "but officials could not promise those benefits will continue if the shutdown lasts until March." Meanwhile, child nutrition programs for school meals and after-school nutrition programs, will have enough funding through the end of March.

On another note, schools awaiting additional disaster aid funding, like those in Texas that are still recovering from Hurricane Harvey and preparing for the 2019 hurricane season, may see delays in funding. The shutdown affects the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which is responsible for issuing guidance on how states can apply for disaster relief aid; that guidance must be published before vital infrastructure projects can begin.

For more information about where negotiations stand to reopen the government, read this article, and stay tuned for more updates.

After the 116^th Congress is sworn in tomorrow, officials will turn to the first item on their agenda-ending a partial ongoing government shutdown since December 22. Not all agencies are affected, as several (including the Department of Education) received full funding for the remaining federal fiscal year (FY19) from a spending package passed late September.

For more information, the Committee for Education Funding created a chart showing which appropriations bills have received full-year funding (bolded) and those with expired funding due to the shutdown. 

House Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Schumer (D-NY) announced their plan to vote on two legislative proposals to end the shutdown. The first vote will be on a spending package that includes six of the seven remaining FY19 appropriations bills; the second will be on a stopgap funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through February 8. The idea is to pass funding for bills that officials can agree on, while punting the deadline on DHS funding until Congress can find a solution for funding the president's border security initiative.

Fortunately, most federal education programs and schools should not be affected by a short-term shutdown. However some higher education and research institutions and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), Native Alaskan, and other Impact Aid schools may see immediate effects in funding. While most agencies have carryover funds/reserves to keep critical programs running in the short-term, a longer-term shutdown could be problematic and jeopardize federal programs, services, and pay. POLITICO reports that the next federal pay period ends January 5, and workers already are "wondering whether they will get their next check on Jan. 11." The article also highlights how several agencies are coping with the shutdown so far.

As this analysis also notes, "the impact of a federal shutdown on other governments is all about duration." Another factor is whether the federal program in question is mandatory or discretionary; mandatory programs like Medicaid and food stamps (SNAP) usually aren't affected. And, since it's a partial shutdown, "programs funded through the departments of Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Labor, and Veterans Affairs should not be affected" either. Most child nutrition programs would only start to see a financial impact if a shutdown lasted into February; for more information on that read here and in the meantime, please stay tuned for additional updates.

As we nearly approach a month-long federal shutdown – the longest in U.S. history – Congress continues to try to find a funding solution that would pass its chambers and get the president's seal of approval to reopen the government's doors. Right now, officials are considering several options:

• Agree to last year's bipartisan Senate funding bills. So far, GOP Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has not called for a vote on any of these because he believes there is no point if the president won't sign them.
• Pass a short-term funding bill and continue negotiations. House Democrats want to extend funding through February to buy time for more negotiations, but the proposals are non-starters for the President. Trump is not interested in extending funding until Congress provides $5.7 billion for border security.
• Bipartisan Senate negotiations for a solution. A group of moderate Senators are trying to find compromise options that include a range of immigration policies and border security funding.
• President declares a national emergency to implement his border plan. Doing this could allow the president to repurpose existing funding to build a border wall, and then sign funding bills to reopen the government. However, the legal standing of this option is uncertain.

As aforementioned, the Department of Education has already been funded for the 2019 federal fiscal year, so its programs are not affected. However, schools may see a funding impact for programs they rely on outside of ED's jurisdiction, like FEMA disaster relief aid or nutrition programs depending on how long the shutdown lasts. The Department of Agriculture said it has enough reserve funds to continue federal meal reimbursements for nutrition programs through March. If the shutdown lasts longer than that, school districts may need to tap into emergency funds or cut funding from other programs to continue feeding students. For more information, Education Week explains how individuals school districts are being impacted and helping families affected by the shutdown cope here.

As federal officials continue searching for a solution to border and immigration policy disputes that have prolonged a partial government shutdown for nearly three weeks, President Trump presented his case for why addition border security is needed in an address to the nation yesterday.

In his speech, President Trump described the situation at the southern border as a "humanitarian crisis" and argued for $5.7 billion dollars to build a steel wall to increase national security. Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer rebutted and argued that "maintenance of existing border fencing, high-tech tools to scan vehicles crossing at ports of entry, and hiring more personnel would be cheaper and more effective than a wall."

Although Department of Education programs have been funded and most schools are not directly affected by the shutdown, a protracted shutdown will produce undesirable effects for school communities. POLITICO notes that nearly 5,000 employees and contractors in the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area have applied for unemployment benefits. In total, about 800,000 federal workers have been affected, 350,000 of which are furloughed, and the rest are working without pay. Consequently, school systems in the area are stepping up to ensure children of federal workers have access to affordable meals and are expediting applications for free/reduced meal programs. Some districts are working with furloughed federal employees to temporarily fill substitute positions.

The Trump administration said that SNAP/food stamps benefits would still be provided through February, "but officials could not promise those benefits will continue if the shutdown lasts until March." Meanwhile, child nutrition programs for school meals and after-school nutrition programs, will have enough funding through the end of March.

On another note, schools awaiting additional disaster aid funding, like those in Texas that are still recovering from Hurricane Harvey and preparing for the 2019 hurricane season, may see delays in funding. The shutdown affects the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which is responsible for issuing guidance on how states can apply for disaster relief aid; that guidance must be published before vital infrastructure projects can begin.

For more information about where negotiations stand to reopen the government, read this article, and stay tuned for more updates.

After the 116^th Congress is sworn in tomorrow, officials will turn to the first item on their agenda-ending a partial ongoing government shutdown since December 22. Not all agencies are affected, as several (including the Department of Education) received full funding for the remaining federal fiscal year (FY19) from a spending package passed late September.

For more information, the Committee for Education Funding created a chart showing which appropriations bills have received full-year funding (bolded) and those with expired funding due to the shutdown. 

House Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Schumer (D-NY) announced their plan to vote on two legislative proposals to end the shutdown. The first vote will be on a spending package that includes six of the seven remaining FY19 appropriations bills; the second will be on a stopgap funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through February 8. The idea is to pass funding for bills that officials can agree on, while punting the deadline on DHS funding until Congress can find a solution for funding the president's border security initiative.

Fortunately, most federal education programs and schools should not be affected by a short-term shutdown. However some higher education and research institutions and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), Native Alaskan, and other Impact Aid schools may see immediate effects in funding. While most agencies have carryover funds/reserves to keep critical programs running in the short-term, a longer-term shutdown could be problematic and jeopardize federal programs, services, and pay. POLITICO reports that the next federal pay period ends January 5, and workers already are "wondering whether they will get their next check on Jan. 11." The article also highlights how several agencies are coping with the shutdown so far.

As this analysis also notes, "the impact of a federal shutdown on other governments is all about duration." Another factor is whether the federal program in question is mandatory or discretionary; mandatory programs like Medicaid and food stamps (SNAP) usually aren't affected. And, since it's a partial shutdown, "programs funded through the departments of Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Labor, and Veterans Affairs should not be affected" either. Most child nutrition programs would only start to see a financial impact if a shutdown lasted into February; for more information on that read here and in the meantime, please stay tuned for additional updates.

As we nearly approach a month-long federal shutdown – the longest in U.S. history – Congress continues to try to find a funding solution that would pass its chambers and get the president's seal of approval to reopen the government's doors. Right now, officials are considering several options:

• Agree to last year's bipartisan Senate funding bills. So far, GOP Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has not called for a vote on any of these because he believes there is no point if the president won't sign them.
• Pass a short-term funding bill and continue negotiations. House Democrats want to extend funding through February to buy time for more negotiations, but the proposals are non-starters for the President. Trump is not interested in extending funding until Congress provides $5.7 billion for border security.
• Bipartisan Senate negotiations for a solution. A group of moderate Senators are trying to find compromise options that include a range of immigration policies and border security funding.
• President declares a national emergency to implement his border plan. Doing this could allow the president to repurpose existing funding to build a border wall, and then sign funding bills to reopen the government. However, the legal standing of this option is uncertain.

As aforementioned, the Department of Education has already been funded for the 2019 federal fiscal year, so its programs are not affected. However, schools may see a funding impact for programs they rely on outside of ED's jurisdiction, like FEMA disaster relief aid or nutrition programs depending on how long the shutdown lasts. The Department of Agriculture said it has enough reserve funds to continue federal meal reimbursements for nutrition programs through March. If the shutdown lasts longer than that, school districts may need to tap into emergency funds or cut funding from other programs to continue feeding students. For more information, Education Week explains how individuals school districts are being impacted and helping families affected by the shutdown cope here.

As federal officials continue searching for a solution to border and immigration policy disputes that have prolonged a partial government shutdown for nearly three weeks, President Trump presented his case for why addition border security is needed in an address to the nation yesterday.

In his speech, President Trump described the situation at the southern border as a "humanitarian crisis" and argued for $5.7 billion dollars to build a steel wall to increase national security. Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer rebutted and argued that "maintenance of existing border fencing, high-tech tools to scan vehicles crossing at ports of entry, and hiring more personnel would be cheaper and more effective than a wall."

Although Department of Education programs have been funded and most schools are not directly affected by the shutdown, a protracted shutdown will produce undesirable effects for school communities. POLITICO notes that nearly 5,000 employees and contractors in the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area have applied for unemployment benefits. In total, about 800,000 federal workers have been affected, 350,000 of which are furloughed, and the rest are working without pay. Consequently, school systems in the area are stepping up to ensure children of federal workers have access to affordable meals and are expediting applications for free/reduced meal programs. Some districts are working with furloughed federal employees to temporarily fill substitute positions.

The Trump administration said that SNAP/food stamps benefits would still be provided through February, "but officials could not promise those benefits will continue if the shutdown lasts until March." Meanwhile, child nutrition programs for school meals and after-school nutrition programs, will have enough funding through the end of March.

On another note, schools awaiting additional disaster aid funding, like those in Texas that are still recovering from Hurricane Harvey and preparing for the 2019 hurricane season, may see delays in funding. The shutdown affects the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which is responsible for issuing guidance on how states can apply for disaster relief aid; that guidance must be published before vital infrastructure projects can begin.

For more information about where negotiations stand to reopen the government, read this article, and stay tuned for more updates.

After the 116^th Congress is sworn in tomorrow, officials will turn to the first item on their agenda-ending a partial ongoing government shutdown since December 22. Not all agencies are affected, as several (including the Department of Education) received full funding for the remaining federal fiscal year (FY19) from a spending package passed late September.

For more information, the Committee for Education Funding created a chart showing which appropriations bills have received full-year funding (bolded) and those with expired funding due to the shutdown. 

House Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Schumer (D-NY) announced their plan to vote on two legislative proposals to end the shutdown. The first vote will be on a spending package that includes six of the seven remaining FY19 appropriations bills; the second will be on a stopgap funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through February 8. The idea is to pass funding for bills that officials can agree on, while punting the deadline on DHS funding until Congress can find a solution for funding the president's border security initiative.

Fortunately, most federal education programs and schools should not be affected by a short-term shutdown. However some higher education and research institutions and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), Native Alaskan, and other Impact Aid schools may see immediate effects in funding. While most agencies have carryover funds/reserves to keep critical programs running in the short-term, a longer-term shutdown could be problematic and jeopardize federal programs, services, and pay. POLITICO reports that the next federal pay period ends January 5, and workers already are "wondering whether they will get their next check on Jan. 11." The article also highlights how several agencies are coping with the shutdown so far.

As this analysis also notes, "the impact of a federal shutdown on other governments is all about duration." Another factor is whether the federal program in question is mandatory or discretionary; mandatory programs like Medicaid and food stamps (SNAP) usually aren't affected. And, since it's a partial shutdown, "programs funded through the departments of Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Labor, and Veterans Affairs should not be affected" either. Most child nutrition programs would only start to see a financial impact if a shutdown lasted into February; for more information on that read here and in the meantime, please stay tuned for additional updates.