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Budget Deal Avoids Government Shutdown
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Budget deal avoids government shutdown

Posted 4/9/2011 Email story   Print story

    

4/9/2011 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Less than an hour before the federal government would have been forced to shut down, President Barack Obama announced that leaders in both parties had reached a budget agreement.

"Tomorrow, I'm pleased to announce that the Washington Monument, as well as the entire federal government, will be open for business," President Obama said. "And that's because today Americans of different beliefs came together again."

The agreement calls for "the largest annual spending cut in our history," he noted. "Like any worthwhile compromise, both sides had to make tough decisions and give ground on issues that were important to them. And I certainly did that."

The agreement will allow small businesses to get the loans they need, families to get the mortgages they applied for, and hundreds of thousands of Americans to show up at work and take home their paychecks on time, including the nation's brave men and women in uniform, the president said.

Following the president's announcement, Office of Management and Budget officials issued a memorandum stating that while the current continuing resolution would expire at midnight tonight, Congress had indicated that it reached agreement on a funding bill for the rest of the fiscal year.

"Earlier this evening, the Senate passed a short term continuing resolution that will extend current funding levels until the full-year bill can be passed and enacted next week," an official said.  "We expect the House to take up the CR shortly and for the president to sign this CR no later than tomorrow. As a result, at this time agencies are instructed to continue their normal operations."

A Pentagon spokesman stressed that the pay of Defense Department employees and service members will not be impacted.

"There was no shutdown, and temporary funding has been approved by Congress. Everyone will get paid as usual," the spokesman said.

(Courtesy of American Forces Press Service)



tabComments
4/13/2011 3:53:21 PM ET
To Ret CMSgt Texas, Good point. I will say that when I sat down to discuss finances with my personnel it was either too late because they were in too deep or it was none of my business because they were not having problems at the time. Hopefully folks will learn from this wake up call and start working towards a fiscally responsible lifestyle which includes saving for that rainy day.
Ret Chief, Las Vegas
 
4/12/2011 4:10:51 PM ET
Let me start by saying I know how to salute smartly and I would never give my political opinions about this to my Airmen. The reality is that most of the Airmen that work for me don't live within their means. When it happens that their employer can't get their act together and provide a paycheck for an honest days work, what does it do for the Airman who can't pay his rent to tell him he just needs to go live within his means? How do I explain to them why they risk going to jail if they don't do their jobs while not getting paid? Meanwhile those responsible still get paid during a government shutdown because their pay comes from the Constitution and not from an annual budget appropriation. Yes, live within your means. Not only because it is wise but also because it is terribly sad that this all-volunteer force would have to work without a paycheck while our representatives get paid despite not doing their job with the budget in a timely manner.
SNCO, Elmendorf AFB
 
4/12/2011 2:23:22 PM ET
To Ret Chief - great advice. However, if you're living paycheck to paycheck possibly you can't afford to get rid of a gas guzzler as you're upside down in owed to value. I like waiting to retires advice - start saving now cause another problem may occur in the near future.Y ou need to reevaluate your spending habits and optimize where you can.
Ret CMSgt, Texas
 
4/11/2011 1:03:24 PM ET
2012 budget will be another fight. Those of you that worried because you are living pay check to pay check need to take a hard look at why. Maybe the BMW or Mercedes is eating up too much in gas money. Live within your means. Start saving now you should have two months base pay available for emergencies.
Ret Chief, Las Vegas
 
4/11/2011 9:19:23 AM ET
Start saving now for the next potential shut down coming up in Oct.
Waiting to Retire, McChord AFB
 
4/10/2011 7:20:45 PM ET
A Pentagon spokesman stressed that Defense Department employees' and service members' pay will not be impacted. There was no shutdown and temporary funding has been approved by Congress. Everyone will get paid as usual he said. Can a Pentagon spokesman please explain to me why my mid-month LES states I will only receive half a paycheck?
TSgt Eric Barackman, Andersen AFB
 
4/9/2011 9:38:29 PM ET
I think that the American people should stop using credit cards and start relying on God, and goverment should pay for their own over spending, not the American people.
dan, idaho
 
4/9/2011 9:37:57 AM ET
That's a great move. I had actually been getting deeply worried about this. But thank God.
Brandon Cull, Georgia
 
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