Contact Amanda Farnan Press Secretary (774) 571–3639 [email protected] 2nd shutdown dodged as State Department still grapples with 1st February 15, 2019 While the White House announced the president agreed to a deal Thursday to avoid a second federal government shutdown this year, the impact of the first, the longest in U.S. history, and the anxiety of potentially a second, have had deep and lasting impacts on the State Department and American foreign policy. In particular, several officials and outside experts told ABC News, concerns remain over department morale, the finances of diplomats and their families deployed overseas, and the recruitment and retention of top talent.