Government Shutdown:

Members of congress have just one week left on the continuing resolution, a type of appropriations legislation that continues the pre-existing appropriations until a set time, before the possibility of a government shutdown. A government shutdown is becoming more likely as legislators do not agree on funding for the border wall and about including language that will prevent any interference with Robert Mueller’s investigation. President Trump has threatened to veto the FY19 spending bill if the bill does not include $5 billion for the southern border wall.

If the government does shut down the CDC will not be affected because their FY19 budget has already been passed and signed into law. However, the Indian Health Service will still be affected if the legislators can not come to an agreement before December 7^th.

Elections watch:

In Missouri the Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith was declared the victor in the run-off Senate election. This gives the Republicans a 53-47 vote majority in the Senate.

Appropriations leadership:

On Thursday, November 29^th, House Republicans voted to name Representative Kay Granger as the lead Republican on the House Appropriations Committee. Nita Lowey, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, likely to become the chair; Democrats will likely vote on committee leadership on January 3^rd, when the new session of Congress starts. Once official, these two will become the first two women to lead a House Committee since the Select Committee on the Beauty Shop was eliminated in 1977. They will also be the first two women to ever lead the House Appropriations Committee.