Partial Federal Government Shutdown Looms
Federal agencies that have yet to receive full-year appropriations for FY 2019 will cease non-essential operations at midnight unless the White House and Congress forge a last minute agreement, which appears highly unlikely at this point. The impacted agencies that are relevant to the higher education community include NSF, NASA, EPA, NOAA and the Department of Transportation. In September, President Trump approved final FY 2019 funding for the DOD, NIH and the Department of Education. As widely reported, the president has stated that he will not approve FY 2019 funding for additional agencies until roughly $5 billion is allocated for a southern border wall. Given the firm stance that those on both sides of the issue have taken, it's possible that a partial shutdown could last an extended period of time.
The federal agency contingency plans for lapse in funding can be found below. Impacted agencies will also likely share additional guidance that is specific to this particular shutdown. While each impacted agency will handle a shutdown slightly differently, there are a few consistent core elements. Non-essential employees will be prohibited from working; including participating in activities such as conferences and moving the review of grant proposals along. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.