This week, Congress and the President reached agreement on a fiscal year (FY) 2019 government spending measure to prevent another partial government shutdown, which was set to begin at midnight on Feb. 15. The bill provides $1.375 billion in funding for border barriers as well as funding for government agencies, including the EPA, FDA and the Departments of Homeland Security and State.

In a victory for global tuberculosis (TB) efforts, the bill includes a significant 16 percent funding increase for USAID’s global TB program, raising funding for the program from $261 million in FY2018 to $302 million for FY2019. USAID’s TB program provides technical assistance to 23 of the most highly burdened countries in the world, including multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB scale up. The funding increase, which ATS worked with partners to secure, is notable following historic TB funding commitments made by countries including the U.S. at the first-ever United Nations High-Level Meeting on TB, held on Sept. 26 in New York.   

In his statement announcing his approval of the government spending measure, the President announced he is declaring a national emergency on border security. This declaration is expected to face significant legal challenges, including from congressional Democrats.