As of Friday September 29, 2023, the United States Congress has yet to reach a spending agreement, as a result companies with international trade operations should prepare for a potential Federal government shutdown. The shutdown, which is expected to take place beginning as of 12:01 am October 1, 2023, will cause significant changes to international
President Trump announced on Friday, January 25, that he and Congress reached a deal to temporarily fund the agencies affected by the partial government shutdown until February 15, 2019. Congress voted to pass the funding bill late Friday night.
With the government shutdown entering its fourth week and with no end in sight, a number of federal agencies are feeling the pressure. The Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission have been effectively shuttered for the past four weeks and recently the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative released a short statement indicating that they had begun furloughing nonessential personnel. A number of other agencies and departments have also had their work affected or completely suspended. Outlined below is a brief analysis the current shutdown is having on those federal agencies which are critical to imports, exports, and international trade.