White House telling government agencies to get ready for a shutdown

Federal agencies have been told by the White House to brace for a shutdown, an Office of Management and Budget official told CNBC Thursday evening.

The official said President Trump backs the bipartisan budget deal now in play and wants it to pass. The bill includes a $300 million increase for military spending and domestic programs, plus almost $90 billion for disaster relief efforts. Congress is expected to vote on the bill Thursday, but it's being held up by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). All senators need to agree to hold a vote, but on the Senate floor Thursday evening, Paul said he "can't in all good honesty, in all good faith, just look the other way because my party is now complicit in the deficits." He also said he wants to hold a vote on an amendment to maintain budget caps.

If a spending bill isn't passed, the government will partially shut down at midnight Thursday, the second shutdown in less than a month. Should the Senate approve the proposal, the House will have to pass it before midnight and get it to Trump for his signature.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up