White House orders govt agencies to begin shut down

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House ordered government agencies to begin shutting down late on Monday after Congress failed to find a compromise on a government spending bill before a midnight (0400 GMT Tuesday) deadline.

"We urge Congress to act quickly to pass a continuing resolution to provide a short-term bridge that ensures sufficient time to pass a budget for the remainder of the fiscal year, and to restore the operation of critical public services and programs that will be impacted by a lapse in appropriations," said Sylvia Burwell, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, in a statement. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Eric Walsh)