.
Funding Gaps and Government Shutdowns:
CRS Experts
Clinton T. Brass, Coordinator
Specialist in Government Organization and Management
September 21, 2015
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
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Funding Gaps and Government Shutdowns: CRS Experts
In the event of a funding gap, the potential impacts of a government shutdown would depend on a
program’s or agency’s specific circumstances and, furthermore, how relevant law is interpreted.
Table 1 provides names and contact information for CRS subject matter experts on policy
concerns and legal issues relating to funding gaps and the processes and effects that may be
associated with a government shutdown.1 Policy areas that are identified in Table 1 include
agencies and programs funded by specific regular appropriations bills;
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 under Table 1 for additional CRS resources.
Additional Online and Written Resources
CRS Website: Appropriations Status Table
For information about the status of funding for particular agencies and programs, see the CRS
“Appropriations Status Table” at http://www.crs.gov/AppropriationsStatusTable/Index. Under the
“Regular Appropriations” tab, the left-hand column lists the CRS reports that cover each
appropriations bill. The end of each report contains contact information for CRS subject matter
experts who cover agencies and programs that are funded by each bill; see a report’s “Key Policy
Staff” table and list of authors, as applicable. To identify which appropriations bill provides
funding for a specific agency or program, see CRS Report R40858, Locate an Agency or
Program Within Appropriations Bills, by Justin Murray.
CRS Reports
For an annotated list of CRS resources related to the FY2014 shutdown, see CRS Report R43250,
CRS Resources on the FY2014 Funding Gap, Shutdown, and Status of Appropriations, by Justin
Murray.
For an annotated list of CRS and non-CRS resources related to past government shutdowns,
including the FY2014 shutdown, see CRS Report R41759, Past Government Shutdowns: Key
Resources, by Jared C. Nagel and Justin Murray.
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,
coordinated by Clinton T. Brass.
For information about funding gaps, see CRS Report RS20348, Federal Funding Gaps: A Brief
Overview, by Jessica Tollestrup.
1 A government shutdown is different from a debt limit impasse. A debt limit impasse occurs if the federal government
no longer has the ability to borrow to finance its obligations and runs out of cash to liquidate all of the obligations that
would result in federal outlays. For more information about the debt limit issue, see CRS Report R41633, Reaching the
Debt Limit: Background and Potential Effects on Government Operations, by D. Andrew Austin et al.
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Funding Gaps and Government Shutdowns: CRS Experts
For information about continuing resolutions (CRs) and related historical practices, see CRS
Report R42647, Continuing Resolutions: Overview of Components and Recent Practices, by
Jessica Tollestrup.
Table 1. Funding Gaps and Government Shutdowns: CRS Experts
Legislative Issues
Name/Title
Phone E-mail
Agencies and programs funded by regular appropriations billsa
Coordinator for Agriculture and Jim Monke
7-9664
jmonke@crs.loc.gov
related agencies appropriations
Specialist in Agricultural Policy
Coordinators for Commerce,
Nathan James (Justice)
7-0264
njames@crs.loc.gov
Justice, science, and related
Analyst in Crime Policy
agencies appropriations
Jennifer D. Williams (Commerce)
7-8640
jwil iams@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in American National Government
John F. Sargent, Jr. (science agencies)
7-9147
jsargent@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy
Coordinator for Defense
Pat Towell
7-2122
ptowell@crs.loc.gov
appropriations
Specialist in U.S. Defense Policy and Budget
Coordinator for Energy and
Mark Holt
7-1704
mholt@crs.loc.gov
water development
Specialist in Energy Policy
appropriations
Coordinator for financial
Baird Webel
7-0652
bwebel@crs.loc.gov
services and general
Specialist in Financial Economics
government appropriations
Coordinator for Homeland
William L. Painter
7-3335
wpainter@crs.loc.gov
Security Department
Analyst in Emergency Management and
appropriations
Homeland Security Policy
Coordinator for Interior,
Carol Hardy Vincent
7-8651
chvincent@crs.loc.gov
environment, and related
Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
agencies appropriations
Coordinators for Labor, Health
Karen E. Lynch (overall/HHS)
7-6899
klynch@crs.loc.gov
and Human Services, and
Specialist in Social Policy
Education appropriations
David H. Bradley (Labor)
7-7352
dbradley@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Labor Economics
C. Stephen Redhead (public health,
7-2261
credhead@crs.loc.gov
ACA)
Specialist in Health Policy
Gail McCallion (Education)
7-7758
gmccallion@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Social Policy
Scott Szymendera (Social Security)
7-0014
sszymendera@crs.loc.gov
Analyst in Disability Policy
Coordinator for legislative
Ida A. Brudnick
7-6460
ibrudnick@crs.loc.gov
branch appropriations
Specialist on the Congress
Coordinators for military
Daniel H. Else
7-4996
delse@crs.loc.gov
construction, Veterans Affairs,
Specialist in National Defense
and related agencies
appropriations
Sidath Viranga Panangala
7-0623
spanangala@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Veterans Policy
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Funding Gaps and Government Shutdowns: CRS Experts
Legislative Issues
Name/Title
Phone E-mail
Coordinators for State, foreign
Susan B. Epstein
7-6678
sepstein@crs.loc.gov
operations, and related
Specialist in Foreign Policy
programs appropriations
Alex Tiersky
7-7367
atiersky@crs.loc.gov
Analyst in Foreign Affairs
Marian L. Lawson
7-4475
mlawson@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Foreign Assistance Policy
Coordinators for
Maggie McCarty
7-2163
mmccarty@crs.loc.gov
Transportation, Housing and
Specialist in Housing Policy
Urban Development, and
related agencies appropriations
David Randall Peterman
7-3267
dpeterman@crs.loc.gov
Analyst in Transportation Policy
Cross-cutting shutdown issues
Congressional operations
Ida A. Brudnick
7-6460
ibrudnick@crs.loc.gov
Specialist 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
Specialist in Government Organization and
Management
Michelle D. Christensen
7-0764
mchristensen@crs.loc.gov
Analyst in Government Organization and
Management
Judiciary operations and budget
Barry J. McMillion (operations)
7-6025
bmcmil ion@crs.loc.gov
Analyst on the Federal Judiciary
Matthew Eric Glassman (budget)
7-3467
mglassman@crs.loc.gov
Analyst on the Congress
Legal issues (appropriations law) Edward C. Liu
7-9166
eliu@crs.loc.gov
Legislative Attorney
Thomas J. Nicola
7-5004
tnicola@crs.loc.gov
Legislative Attorney
Brian T. Yeh
7-5182
byeh@crs.loc.gov
Legislative Attorney
Legal issues (government
Kate M. Manuel
7-4477
kmanuel@crs.loc.gov
contracts law)
Legislative Attorney
Rodney M. Perry
7-5203
rperry@crs.loc.gov
Legislative Attorney
Federal grants-in-aid
Natalie Keegan
7-9569
nkeegan@crs.loc.gov
Analyst in American Federalism and
Emergency Management Policy
Legal issues (federal grants law)
Alissa M. Dolan
7-8433
adolan@crs.loc.gov
Legislative Attorney
Funding gaps, continuing
Jessica Tollestrup
7-0941 jtol estrup@crs.loc.gov
resolutions (CRs), and
Analyst on Congress and the Legislative
congressional budget process
Process
James V. Saturno
7-2381
jsaturno@crs.loc.gov
Specialist on Congress and the Legislative
Process
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Funding Gaps and Government Shutdowns: CRS Experts
Legislative Issues
Name/Title
Phone E-mail
Economic and financial market
D. Andrew Austin
7-6552
aaustin@crs.loc.gov
issues
Analyst in Economic Policy
Marc Labonte
7-0640
mlabonte@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Macroeconomic Policy
Edward V. Murphy
7-6201
tmurphy@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Financial Economics
National security concerns
John Rollins
7-5529
jrol ins@crs.loc.gov
during shutdown period
Specialist in Terrorism and National Security
Domestic social policy-related programs and agencies
Coordinators
Karen Spar
7-7319
kspar@crs.loc.gov
(wil help identify subject matter Specialist in Domestic Social Policy and
experts for unlisted areas)
Division Research Coordinator
Richard Rimkunas
7-7334
rrimkunas@crs.loc.gov
Deputy Assistant Director/Domestic Social
Policy
Affordable Care Act (ACA)
Annie L. Mach
7-7825
amach@crs.loc.gov
insurance exchanges
Analyst in Health Care Financing
C. Stephen Redhead
7-2261
credhead@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Health Policy
Education and job training
Gail McCallion
7-7758
gmccallion@crs.loc.gov
programs
Specialist in Social Policy
Federal Employees Health
Kirstin B. Blom
7-2397
kblom@crs.loc.gov
Benefits Program (FEHB)
Analyst in Health Care Financing
Federal employee retirement
Katelin P. Isaacs
7-7355
kisaacs@crs.loc.gov
benefits (CSRS/FERS)
Analyst in Income Security
Medicaid
Alison Mitchell
7-0152
amitchell@crs.loc.gov
Analyst in Health Care Financing
Medicare
Patricia A. Davis
7-7362
pdavis@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Health Care Financing
Social Security
Dawn Nuschler
7-6283
dnuschler@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Income Security
William R. Morton
7-9453
wmorton@crs.loc.gov
Analyst in Income Security
Supplemental Nutrition
Randy Alison Aussenberg
7-8641
raussenberg@crs.loc.gov
Assistance Program (SNAP)
Specialist in Nutrition Assistance Policy
Unemployment insurance
Julie M. Whittaker
7-2587
jwhittaker@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Income Security
Veterans benefits
Scott Szymendera
7-0014
sszymendera@crs.loc.gov
Analyst in Disability Policy
Veterans health care and
Sidath Viranga Panangala
7-0623
spanangala@crs.loc.gov
medical research
Specialist in Veterans Policy
Foreign affairs, defense, and trade-related programs and agencies
Coordinator
Marian L. Lawson
7-4475
mlawson@crs.loc.gov
(wil help identify subject matter Specialist in Foreign Assistance Policy
experts for unlisted areas)
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Funding Gaps and Government Shutdowns: CRS Experts
Legislative Issues
Name/Title
Phone E-mail
Department of Defense (DOD)
Pat Towell
7-2122
ptowell@crs.loc.gov
operations
Specialist in U.S. Defense Policy and Budget
General government-related programs and agencies
Coordinator
Louise D. Yinug
7-0459
lyinug@crs.loc.gov
(wil 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
Federal Emergency Management Francis X. McCarthy
7-9533
fmccarthy@crs.loc.gov
Agency (FEMA)
Analyst in Emergency Management Policy
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Gary Guenther
7-7742
gguenther@crs.loc.gov
and tax-related operations
Analyst in Public Finance
Merit Systems Protection Board Barbara L. Schwemle
7-8655
bschwemle@crs.loc.gov
(MSPB)
Analyst in American National Government
Office of Management and
Clinton T. Brass
7-4536
cbrass@crs.loc.gov
Budget (OMB)
Specialist in Government Organization and
Management
Office of Personnel
Barbara L. Schwemle
7-8655
bschwemle@crs.loc.gov
Management (OPM)
Analyst in American National Government
Resources, science, and technology-related programs and agencies
Coordinator
Amy Abel
7-7239
aabel@crs.loc.gov
(wil help identify subject matter Section Research Manager
experts for unlisted areas)
Air safety, air traffic control,
Bart Elias
7-7771
belias@crs.loc.gov
aviation/airport security, and
Specialist in Aviation Policy
screening issues
Highway spending issues
Robert S. Kirk
7-7769
rkirk@crs.loc.gov
Specialist in Transportation 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 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 bil . The end
of each report contains contact information for CRS subject matter experts who cover agencies and
programs that are funded by each bil ; see a report’s “Key Policy Staff” table and list of authors, as
applicable. To identify which appropriations bil provides funding for a specific agency or program, see CRS
Report R40858, Locate an Agency or Program Within Appropriations Bills, by Justin Murray.
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Funding Gaps and Government Shutdowns: CRS Experts
Author Contact Information
Clinton T. Brass, Coordinator
Specialist in Government Organization and
Management
cbrass@crs.loc.gov, 7-4536
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