The U.S federal government is ringing in the new year with a 1% cut to all non-discretionary spending – a consequence of a little-known provision in the June debt ceiling deal. 

 But first: a short recap of the state of U.S budget negotiations where Biden (yet again) is standing on the brink of government shutdown.

Speaker of the House of Representative, Mike Johnson (R-LA) is a key figure in January’s budget negotiations.