The Office of Management and Budget has officially ordered the U.S. government closed after a quarreling Senate blew a midnight deadline to pass a temporary funding bill.
OMB Director Mick Mulvaney issued the order at midnight, notifying federal agencies they should execute their contingency plans.
Mulvaney's notice says federal employees should report to work Friday to "undertake orderly shutdown activities."
He notes that his office is "hopeful that this lapse in appropriations will be of short duration."
A shutdown — technically a lapse in agency appropriations — became inevitable as GOP Sen. Rand Paul repeatedly held up votes on the budget plan, protesting its likely contribution to budget deficits that are soon to top $1 trillion.
