How is the US government shutdown impacting development?

WASHINGTON — Catholic Relief Services received approval in early December from the U.S. Agency for International Development for an ongoing program in Malawi and submitted the necessary documents, but was then told by USAID it could not disburse the funds because of the partial U.S. government shutdown. CRS had to use its own money — hundreds of thousands of dollars — to keep the program going as it waits for the government to reopen.