A Financial Scramble

I recently read an article from USA Today describing our national government’s fiscal situation: beyond March 18, there is no authorization for money spending to keep it running. The House of Representatives and Senate just this week passed the bill that will even allow spending until then. Also passed this week was a bill that prevents Congress or the President from being paid during a shutdown that will result if a plan is not passed in time.

Talks that would extend the authorization to the end of the fiscal year, Sept. 30^th, have been stalled because Republican-controlled House passed a spending plan that is unacceptable to the Democrat-controlled Senate. This plan would cut $61 billion from spending “for Planned Parenthood, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and the AmeriCorps service program.”
 It would be prudent for a citizen to stay updated on a situation that could result in cuts from government-funded programs or even a government shutdown. Congress must act quickly in the next two weeks to avoid such consequences, and must in the process make a plan to reduce government spending.