107. The Government Shutdown

This episode discusses the government shutdown including the Democrats' reasons behind it and how it came to a conclusion. It also offers two solutions to prevent a future shutdown. REFERENCES: (1) Episode 11 of the Advancing the Agenda Podcast: "The Filibuster, Cloture Motion, Reconciliation, and the Nuclear Option in the U.S. Senate" (2) The 12 Appropriations Subcommittees from the Website of Congressman Mike Sampson (R-ID): Twelve Appropriations Subcommittees determine discretionary funding for government functions. Each of these subcommittees produces one bill each year. Subcommittees include: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, which oversees funding for the USDA (except the Forest Service) and other agencies; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, which oversees funding for the Department of Commerce, the Department of Justice, NASA, and other agencies; Defense, which oversees funding for the military, the intelligence community, and other national defense related agencies; Energy and Water Development, which oversees funding for the Department of Energy, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other agencies; Financial Services and General Government, which oversees funding for the Department of the Treasury, the Executive Office of the President, and other government functions; Homeland Security, which oversees funding for the Department of Homeland Security; Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, which oversees funding for the Department of the Interior, the EPA, the U.S. Forest Service, and a number of independent agencies; Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, which oversees funding for the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor, and other agencies; Legislative Branch, which oversees funding for the House of Representatives (the Senate Legislative Branch oversees funding for the U.S. Senate), the U.S. Capitol, the Library of Congress, and other legislative branch functions; Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies, which oversees funding for military construction (including military housing), the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies; State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, which oversees funding for the U.S. State Department, USAID, and related programs; Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, which oversees funding for the Department of Transportation, HUD, and related agencies.