4/9/11: The President has signed a short-term continuing resolution while lawmakers consider a spending bill for the remaining months of fiscal 2011 thus averting a potentially disastrous government shutdown.

Early this morning, OMB issued this memorandum to federal agency heads stating that an agreement had been reached and "at this time agencies are instructed to continue their normal operations." The President has signed a seven-day stop gap funding measure today to keep the government open until the FY 2011 spending bill is passed. Congress is expected to take action by Friday.

The fact that a government shutdown was avoided was clearly the best outcome for our country and our agencies. However, the budget deal on the table contains $38 billion of steep spending cuts to agency budgets that remain a grave concern. NTEU will be carefully examining the spending measure and will keep you informed as more details are available.

NTEU has serious concerns about the impact of failing to fund federal agencies with sufficient resources to perform their missions, particularly in light of increasing agency responsibilities and employee workloads. You simply cannot effectively do more with less in agencies where resources are already insufficient. As a country, we need to keep that premise sharply in focus moving forward.

We realize this has been a trying time for you and your families. Through it all, federal employees have continued to serve the American people and remained focused on the important work that you do for your country. NTEU will continue to advocate for federal employees with the administration, Congress and your agencies. Thank you for all you do for our country.