Senators have until a Friday deadline to clear a package of six House-passed funding measures, including the $64.4 billion Homeland Security appropriations bill that includes funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Border Patrol.
In a statement released Sunday by U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the deal would also reinstate thousands of fired federal workers and restore the appropriations process that includes funding for SNAP, WIC and health care for veterans.
I wish I could blame congressional Republicans or congressional Democrats for the government shutdown, now in its third week.
The federal government ran out of funding for many of its operations on October 1, leading to a “shutdown” of many activities. Much of the federal government will keep running, but the exact scope of services that will be put on hold until funding resumes is governed by a combination of laws and decision-making by the federal officials.
The effects of the government shutdown will be different for everyone in New Hampshire – and the country – depending on who they are and what their plans are.