🗓️FISCAL NEW YEAR: It is now officially Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 – and the government is now shut down for the first time since 2019. ➡️We have a number of resources that help explain everything you need to know about appropriations, shutdowns, and what comes next. A 🧵 ⤵️

🚨CBO estimates the Senate NDAA bill would increase borrowing by more than $16 billion over the next decade and drive up prescription drug costs. Our nation is more secure when we’re in less debt, not more. ➡️ https://t.co/LcKOjxaQSX.

Why is it that Congress can’t seem to grasp how dangerous our growing debt is to the nation’s stability and to our children’s future? Hear what @MayaMacGuineas of @BudgetHawks had to say. Watch the full conversation at: https://t.co/CNmpEHx2Nd

Interesting article on entitlement programs and their future from @BudgetHawks via @MarcGoldwein here. Worth reading.

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💡Why should we pursue #TrustFundSolutions? Because doing so can: ➡️Prevent insolvency of the #SocialSecurity, #Medicare, and #Highway trust funds; ➡️Avert deep across-the-board cuts; ➡️Improve the fiscal outlook; ➡️Accelerate economic growth; and ➡️Offer opportunities for

🔗: https://t.co/9w65FPzeGh.

🚨NEW STATEMENT: Reopen the Government Without Adding More Debt "It’s past time for Congress and the White House to do their job and reopen the federal government, putting an end to this latest example of Washington dysfunction," writes @MayaMacGuineas in a new statement this

Just days before the government shutdown, Secretary Janet Yellen, @djheakin, and @MayaMacGuineas discussed the urgent need for bipartisan action to improve the future outlook of the U.S. budget. 📰 Check out coverage from Arkansas Talk Business and Politics (@RobyBrock).

🔗: https://t.co/Tfgnh7nDAt.

🚨NEW: Today, @USCBO released its estimate of the FY 2025 budget deficit in its Monthly Budget Review, projecting that the deficit totaled $1.8 trillion in FY 2025. The following is a statement from CRFB President @MayaMacGuineas ⤵️

🔗It's Time for Trust Fund Solutions: https://t.co/jidun2KMj5.

🚨NEW REPORT: Today, we're launching the Trust Fund Solutions Initiative to put forward concrete and novel ideas to restore solvency to our major trust funds while addressing the nation's economic and health challenges. ➡️Our first report in this series explains why It's Time

⛔ SHUTDOWN Q&A: How does a shutdown differ from a default? ➡️ In a shutdown, the federal government temporarily stops paying employees and contractors who perform government services, whereas in a default the list of parties not paid is much broader. In a default, the

According to the nonpartisan nonprofit Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, the latest shutdown represents the 20th such funding gap since 1976.

9⃣If you found this information helpful and want to learn more, see our new resource on What You Need for the End of the Fiscal Year on our website or in the thread below: https://t.co/mxwvh3fj6F /🧵

8⃣Are CRs partisan or bipartisan? This can be up to interpretation. But given the requirement in the Senate to have 60 votes to end debate and move to passage, generally each CR and/or funding bill has been "bipartisan" in that it needs support of both parties to pass. ⤵️

7⃣In contrast, the alternative proposal includes a relatively "clean" CR component extending funding through October 31, but coupled with significant policy changes on health care. This measure includes repeal of all of the health savings in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

6⃣The CR that passed the House is relatively "clean" in that it extends funding through November 21 without significantly changing funding levels from those agreed upon for FY 2025. Some minor changes are included to increase security spending for public officials, but are quite

5⃣What about the current CR proposals? Lawmakers have recently voted on two separate CR proposals to keep the government funded – and at this point, would temporarily re-open the government. The two proposals would have a significantly different impact on spending levels. ⤵️

4⃣In the past, we have seen a mix of clean CRs and CRs containing more significant spending/policy changes. For example, lawmakers attached aid for Ukraine to a CR a few years ago. And in March of this year, the full-year CR for FY 2025 included both funding level changes and