Federal fiscal squeeze, shutdown risk, and payment controls

FY2027 began under a continuing resolution through December 11, 2026, amid final-appropriations and debt-limit uncertainty, a roughly $2.0 trillion FY2026 deficit, debt above $40 trillion, and rising interest costs. Golden Dome’s roughly $17 billion unfunded FY2027 request remains exposed. Treasury’s Do Not Pay update reports screening of $3.7 trillion in payments and prevention of $175 million in payments to deceased recipients, but does not establish net savings or beneficiary effects.