On Friday, the Senate approved H.R. 1968 with a 54 to 46 vote to keep the Government funded through September 30.
- The resolution includes an additional $4.856 billion for HUD and USDA accounts over FY 2024 funding levels.
RIF Deadline: While agencies will remain open, Thursday, March 13 was the deadline for supervisors to submit Reduction in Force (RIFs), or large-scale layoff plans, to adhere to President Trump’s Executive Order for workforce optimization.
Why This Matters: Even though there is now secured funding, there may not be staff to administer programs and assist with financing deals.
- Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) wrote a bipartisan letter to Secretary Turner urging the retention of field office staff in every state.
The Path Ahead: There are two court cases, one in Maryland and one in San Francisco, where judges ruled the Trump administration acted unlawfully in terminating employees thus far. The Trump administration appealed the ruling.
What’s next: With FY 2025 funding complete, expect legislators to focus on addressing the debt ceiling and the details of the reconciliation package(s).
