Funding Gaps and Government Shutdowns:
CRS Experts
Clinton T. Brass
Analyst in Government Organization and Management
April 6, 2011
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
R41723
CRS Report for Congress
P
repared for Members and Committees of Congress
Funding Gaps and Government Shutdowns: CRS Experts
Summary
In the event of a funding gap, the potential impacts of a government shutdown will depend on a
program’s or agency’s specific circumstances and how relevant law is interpreted. The following
table provides names and contact information for CRS experts on policy concerns relating to
funding gaps and the processes and effects that may be associated with a government shutdown.
Policy areas identified include
• cross-cutting shutdown issues;
• domestic social policy-related programs and agencies;
• foreign affairs, defense, and trade-related programs and agencies;
• general government-related programs and agencies; and
• resources, science, and technology-related programs and agencies.
For questions concerning the impact of a shutdown on a specific agency or program that is not
listed here, see the contact information for the listed coordinators, who will help to identify the
relevant subject matter expert. See also the notes for Table 1 for additional CRS resources.
For information about the status of funding for particular agencies and programs, see the CRS
“Appropriations Status Table” at http://crs.gov/Pages/AppropriationsStatusTable.aspx. Under the
“Regular Appropriations” tab, the left-hand column lists CRS reports that cover each
appropriations bill. The reports identify CRS subject matter experts for the agencies and programs
that are funded by each bill. To locate a specific agency or program within an appropriations bill,
see CRS Report R40858, Locate an Agency or Program Within Appropriations Bills, by Mary
Frances Bley.
For information about funding gaps, see CRS Report RS20348, Federal Funding Gaps: A Brief
Overview, by Jessica Tollestrup.
For general information about the causes, processes, and effects of government shutdowns, see
CRS Report RL34680, Shutdown of the Federal Government: Causes, Processes, and Effects, by
Clinton T. Brass.
Congressional Research Service
Funding Gaps and Government Shutdowns: CRS Experts
n the event of a funding gap, the potential impacts of a government shutdown will depend on
a program’s or agency’s specific circumstances and how relevant law is interpreted. The
I following table provides names and contact information for CRS experts on policy concerns
relating to funding gaps and the processes and effects that may be associated with a government
shutdown. Policy areas identified include
• cross-cutting shutdown issues;
• domestic social policy-related programs and agencies;
• foreign affairs, defense, and trade-related programs and agencies;
• general government-related programs and agencies; and
• resources, science, and technology-related programs and agencies.
For questions concerning the impact of a shutdown on a specific agency or program that is not
listed in the table, see the contact information for the listed coordinators, who will help to identify
the relevant subject matter expert. See also the notes for Table 1 for additional CRS resources.
For information about the status of funding for particular agencies and programs, see the CRS
“Appropriations Status Table” at http://crs.gov/Pages/AppropriationsStatusTable.aspx. Under the
“Regular Appropriations” tab, the left-hand column lists the CRS reports that cover each
appropriations bill. The reports identify CRS subject matter experts who cover agencies and
programs that are funded by each bill. To locate a specific agency or program within an
appropriations bill, see CRS Report R40858, Locate an Agency or Program Within
Appropriations Bills, by Mary Frances Bley.
Table 1. Funding Gaps and Government Shutdowns: CRS Experts
Legislative Issues
Name/Title
Phone
E-mail
Cross-cutting shutdown issues
Congressional operations
Ida A. Brudnick
7-6460 ibrudnick@crs.loc.gov
Analyst on the Congress
R. Eric Petersen
7-0643 epetersen@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in American National Government
Executive branch operations
Clinton T. Brass
7-4536 cbrass@crs.loc.gov
Analyst in Government Organization and
Management
Virginia A. McMurtry
7-8678 vmcmurtry@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in American National Government
Judiciary operations
Lorraine H. Tong
7-5846 ltong@crs.loc.gov
Analyst in American National Government
Denis Steven Rutkus
7-7162 drutkus@crs.loc.gov
Specialist on the Federal Judiciary
Legal issues
Todd B. Tatelman
7-4697 ttatelman@crs.loc.gov
Legislative Attorney
Government contracts law
Kate M. Manuel
7-4477 kmanuel@crs.loc.gov
Legislative Attorney
John R. Luckey
7-7897 jluckey@crs.loc.gov
Legislative Attorney
Congressional Research Service
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Funding Gaps and Government Shutdowns: CRS Experts
Legislative Issues
Name/Title
Phone
E-mail
Federal grants law
Kathleen S. Swendiman
7-9105 kswendiman@crs.loc.gov
Legislative Attorney
Funding gaps and congressional
Jessica Tollestrup
7-0941
jtollestrup@crs.loc.gov
budget process
Analyst on Congress and the Legislative
Process
Impact of shutdown on
D. Andrew Austin
7-6552 aaustin@crs.loc.gov
economy and financial markets
Analyst in Economic Policy
National security concerns
John Rollins
7-5529 jrollins@crs.loc.gov
during shutdown perioda
Specialist in Terrorism and National Security
Domestic social policy-related programs and agencies
Coordinator
Karen Spar
7-7319 kspar@crs.loc.gov
(will help identify subject matter Specialist in Domestic Social Policy and
experts for unlisted areas)
Division Research Coordinator
Education and job training
Gail McCallion
7-7758 gmccallion@crs.loc.gov
programs
Specialist in Social Policy
Federal Employees Health
Cliff Binder
7-7965 cbinder@crs.loc.gov
Benefits Program (FEHB)
Analyst in Health Care Financing
Medicare and Medicaid
Cliff Binder
7-7965 cbinder@crs.loc.gov
Analyst in Health Care Financing
Social Security
Dawn Nuschler
7-6283 dnuschler@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Income Security
Unemployment insurance
Katelin P. Isaacs
7-7355 kisaacs@crs.loc.gov
Analyst in Income Security
Veterans benefits
Christine Scott
7-7366 cscott@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Social Policy
Foreign affairs, defense, and trade-related programs and agencies
Coordinator
Gary J. Pagliano
7-1750 gpagliano@crs.loc.gov
(will help identify subject matter Section Research Manager
experts for unlisted areas)
Department of Defense (DOD)
Stephen Daggett
7-7642 sdaggett@crs.loc.gov
operationsb
Specialist in Defense Policy and Budgets
General government-related programs and agencies
Coordinator
Jeffrey W. Seifert
7-0781 jseifert@crs.loc.gov
(will help identify subject matter Section Research Manager
experts for unlisted areas)
Executive Office of the
Barbara L. Schwemle
7-8655 bschwemle@crs.loc.gov
President (EOP)
Analyst in American National Government
Internal Revenue Service and
Gary Guenther
7-7742 gguenther@crs.loc.gov
Tax-Related Operations
Analyst in Public Finance
Office of Management and
Clinton T. Brass
7-4536 cbrass@crs.loc.gov
Budget (OMB)
Analyst in Government Organization and
Management
Virginia A. McMurtry
7-8678 vmcmurtry@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in American National Government
Office of Personnel
Barbara L. Schwemle
7-8655 bschwemle@crs.loc.gov
Management (OPM)
Analyst in American National Government
Congressional Research Service
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Funding Gaps and Government Shutdowns: CRS Experts
Legislative Issues
Name/Title
Phone
E-mail
Resources, science, and technology-related programs and agencies
Coordinator
Charles V. Stern
7-7786
cstern@crs.loc.gov
(will help identify subject matter Analyst in Natural Resources Policy
experts for unlisted areas)
Air safety and air traffic control
Bart Elias
7-7771 belias@crs.loc.gov
issues
Specialist in Aviation Policy
Food safety issues
Renée Johnson
7-9588 rjohnson@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Agricultural Policy
Nuclear safety issues
Mark Holt
7-1704 mholt@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Energy Policy
Notes:
a. For information and analysis related to possible security vulnerabilities during periods of government
uncertainty, see CRS Report RL34456, 2008-2009 Presidential Transition: National Security Considerations and
Options, by John Rollins.
b. For additional, prospective analysis of potential effects of a government shutdown on the Department of
Defense, see CRS Report R41745, Government Shutdown: Operations of the Department of Defense During a
Lapse in Appropriations, by Stephen Daggett.
Experts List Coordinator
Clinton T. Brass
Analyst in Government Organization and
Management
cbrass@crs.loc.gov, 7-4536
Congressional Research Service
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