Government Shutdown

Today marks day 21 of the partial government shutdown, making it as one of the longest government shutdowns with no clear ending in sight. On Wednesday, January 9, the President held another meeting with congressional leaders over negotiations around the border wall and it did not end in any resolution.

In response to the refusal to pass an omnibus package, one bill comprised of multiple funding bills, House Democrats have begun putting forward the spending bills individually in an effort to fund agencies that are less controversial including the Departments of Treasury, Interior, and Agriculture. On Thursday, January 10, the House passed the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development funding bill, which includes FY19 funding for HOPWA, but it is not expected to be taken up by the Senate.

Committee Assignments

On Wednesday, January 9, the Senate Appropriations Committee Members were officially announced. Senator Shelby was formally ratified as the Appropriations Chairman, and the Committee Ranking Members is Senator Leahy of Vermont. Subcommittee chairs are:

• Agriculture: John Hoeven, R-ND
• Commerce-Justice-Science: Jerry Moran, R-KS
• Defense: Richard Shelby, R-AL
• Energy-Water: Lamar Alexander, R-TN
• Financial Services: John Kennedy R-LA
• Homeland Security: Shelley Moore Capito, R-WV
• Interior-Environment: Lisa Murkowski, R-AK
• Labor-HHS-Education: Roy Blunt, R-Mo
• Legislative Branch: Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-MS
• Military Construction-VA: John Boozman, R-AR
• State-Foreign Operations: Lindsey Graham, R-SC
• Transportation-HUD: Susan Collins, R-ME