Government Shutdown Averted with Little Time to Spare as Biden Signs Funding Before Midnight

AP News | By Lisa Mascaro, Kevin Freking and Stephen Groves

WASHINGTON (AP) — The threat of a federal government shutdown suddenly lifted late Saturday as President Joe Biden signed a temporary funding bill to keep agencies open with little time to spare after Congress rushed to approve the bipartisan deal.

The package drops aid to Ukraine, a White House priority opposed by a growing number of GOP lawmakers, but increases federal disaster assistance by $16 billion, meeting Biden’s full request. The bill funds government until Nov. 17.

After chaotic days of turmoil in the House, Speaker Kevin McCarthy abruptly abandoned demands for steep spending cuts from his right flank and instead relied on Democrats to pass the bill, at risk to his own job. The Senate followed with final passage closing a whirlwind day at the Capitol.

“This is good news for the American people,” Biden said in a statement.

He also said the United States “cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted” and expected McCarthy “will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment.”

It’s been a sudden head-spinning turn of events in Congress ahead of the midnight funding deadline after grueling days in the House pushed the government to the brink of a disruptive federal shutdown.

The outcome ends, for now, the threat of a shutdown, but the reprieve may be short-lived. Congress will again need to fund the government in coming weeks risking a crisis as views are hardening, particularly among the right-flank lawmakers whose demands were ultimately swept aside this time in favor of a more bipartisan approach.

“We’re going to do our job,” McCarthy, R-Calif., said before the House vote. “We’re going to be adults in the room. And we’re going to keep government open.”

If no deal was in place before Sunday, federal workers would have faced furloughs, more than 2 million active-duty and reserve military troops would have had to work without pay and programs and services that Americans rely on from coast to coast would have begun to face shutdown disruptions.

“It has been a day full of twists and turns, but the American people can breathe a sigh of relief: There will be no government shutdown,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

The package funds government at current 2023 levels until mid-November, and also extends other provisions, including for the Federal Aviation Administration. The package was approved by the House 335-91, with most Republicans and almost all Democrats supporting. Senate passage came by an 88-9 vote.

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URGENT: HCBS BASE WAGE RATE INCREASE ATTESTATION (Non-Compliance Could Impact Pay)

HHAC’s advocacy team received direct communication from HCPF, indicating that SEIU has asked for data around which employers are providing the base wage, which ones are not doing the attestation and several other data sets.

Because much of the information requested can be found from the HCBS Base Wage Rate Increase Attestations that providers were asked to complete previously, HCPF generously gave us a heads up that they will be enforcing the attestation deadline. Only about 30% of agencies have filled out the attestation deadline for 2023 thus far. HCPF will be sending letters to those who have not completed the attestation, and potentially clawing back money from those who don’t come into compliance.

Though we don’t have an exact date yet of when this will happen, the lobbyists had the sense that completion with the attestation was urgent. In addition to helping to avoid any lost revenue, completing the attestation will help provide more accurate and complete data to both HCPF and SEIU, rather than leaving them to make assumptions on a limited number of respondents.

Please click on the following link to an older operational memo that explains what the attestation entails: https://hcpf.colorado.gov/sites/hcpf/files/HCPF%20OM%2022-022%20Home%20and%20Community-Based%20Services%20%28HCBS%29%20Base%20Wage%20Rate%20Increase%20Attestation%20Reminder.pdf

HHAC Board and Staff

EEOC Announces October 31 Opening and December 5 Deadline for 2022 EEO-1 Reports

SESCO Management

• The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has announced that October 31, 2023, is the date employers may expect the portal for submitting 2022 EEO-1 Reports to open.

• The EEOC also set a December 5, 2023, deadline for completion of 2022 EEO-1 Reports.

• The EEO-1 Report is a federally mandated survey that collects workforce data categorized by race, ethnicity, sex, and job category.

• Covered employers must usually submit EEO-1 Reports by March 31 each year. For 2022 EEO-1 Reports, however, the EEOC had previously extended the portal’s opening date twice—first until mid-July and then later until mid-fall— before making the most recent announcement.

• Federal regulations require that all employers in the private sector with 100 or more employees, and federal contractors and subcontractors with 50 or more employees and a federal contract or subcontract amounting to $50,000 or more, file the EEO-1 Report annually.

• Although the EEOC sends notification letters to employers it knows to be subject to EEO-1 requirements, all covered employers are responsible for obtaining and submitting the necessary information prior to the appropriate deadline. Employers filing EEO-1 Reports for the first time must register to receive login information, a password, and further instructions for filing from the EEOC.

Please contact SESCO should you have any questions. For assistance, contact us at 423-764-4127 or by email at [email protected]