House reaches deal to avert government shutdown, bringing relief to Alaskans

The House has approved a short-term spending bill that will fund the government until March 14, providing temporary relief for federal workers in Alaska. The bill includes $100 billion in disaster aid and $10 billion in agricultural assistance. President-elect Donald Trump’s demand to lift the debt ceiling was removed, with plans to address it in the new year. Sen. Dan Sullivan urged Senators to support a bill to pay the military in case of a shutdown. Despite the uncertainty, Alaska’s National Weather Service employees and American Federation of Government Employees are advising workers to have a shutdown fund in place. The influence of billionaires like Elon Musk on spending deals has caused concern among federal workers. Improvements have been made since the last government shutdown, including guaranteed backpay for workers. The potential consequences of a prolonged shutdown are causing stress and uncertainty for federal workers. The federal workforce in Alaska, which includes 81,600 government employees, may be impacted in the event of a shutdown. Ultimately, the Senate needs to act quickly to prevent a government shutdown before the midnight deadline.

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