White House orders govt agencies to begin shut down

The White House ordered government agencies to begin shutting down late on Monday after Congress failed to find a compromise on a government spending bill before a midnight (0400 GMT Tuesday) deadline.

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"We urge Congress to act quickly to pass a continuing resolution to provide a short-term bridge that ensures sufficient time to pass a budget for the remainder of the fiscal year, and to restore the operation of critical public services and programs that will be impacted by a lapse in appropriations," said Sylvia Burwell, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, in a statement.