The United States Senate appears to be making the first move in avoiding a federal government shutdown this Friday, with Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss) introducing a Continuing Resolution that would fund the government through December 11, 2015. This is being done, allegedly, to provide time for Republican leaders to negotiate a larger budget deal which might include trade-offs on the debt ceiling, long term transportation funding and other issues by the end of the year. This week, Republican leaders in both the House and the Senate stated they hope to negotiate directly with President Obama, rather than Democratic leaders in Congress over the course of the next few weeks to come to a resolution on these significant looming issues.

Summer Minnick is the Director of External Relations and Federal Affairs. She can be reached at 517-908-0301.