This town gets weirder every day. The House and Senate passed an Omnibus bill covering government spending until September 30, 2018. Allegedly upset at a lack of attention to DACA and full funding of a border wall, President Trump is “considering” vetoing the spending bill which would return it to Congress, then requiring a two-thirds vote in both chambers to pass.
With funding running out at midnight, there would not be enough time to override the veto in Congress or pass a short-term CR, thereby forcing a shutdown of government if Trump vetoes the bill.
What we know:
- Funding has been approved for FY 2018 by the Congress. The president remains unpredictable.
- The Omnibus bill contains funding for all agencies and most programs through the end of this fiscal year, ending September 30, 2018.
- Funding in the Omnibus bill is largely stable, and includes an increase in Defense funding. There are no general provisions within the bill regarding federal employee pay, benefits or major workforce changes.
What NFFE is doing:
- NFFE continues to monitor the situation and will keep members posted.
- With funding approved, if a shutdown occurs, it is likely that federal employees will receive backpay although it must be congressionally approved upon the government reopening.
What you can do:
- REPORT TO WORK as usual unless your agency informed you in writing that you are officially furloughed. Otherwise, you risk an unexcused absence if you are not furloughed.
- Sign up for alerts using your personal email to jatkins@nffe.org.
- Follow NFFE on Facebook @NFFEunion, and Twitter @NFFE_Union
- Gather personal phone numbers and non-gov emails to communicate with members.
- Post this memo at your workplace and help spread the word.
- Go over your personal finances and prepare for the possibility of delayed paychecks.
- Help NFFE members with access to emergency loans through the Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund (FEEA), on which NFFE serves on the board of directors. For more information, visit the FEEA website at 7. www.feea.org.
- Read the OPM Q&A attached regarding specific questions related to the shutdown.
PRINT VERSION of memo
OPM Shutdown FAQ