Congress Delays Funding Bills to December, Temporarily Blocks Uniform Guidance Changes

As previously reported, before leaving Washington for summer recess the House and Senate each passed versions of a continuing resolution (CR) aimed at avoiding a government shutdown when the fiscal year ends September 30. With the chambers passing different versions of the bill, negotiations on a final CR needed to wait until lawmakers returned to Washington earlier this month. The House passed the Senate version of the CR on September 1, thereby sending it to the President for signature. The funding patch gives members of Congress until December 11 to finalize the FY 2027 appropriations bills, punting the debate until after the November midterm elections.

As noted previously, the Senate CR (which the House has now passed) includes a temporary block of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) proposed rule, Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance, which seeks to make major changes to the Uniform Guidance governing federal financial assistance, including federal research grants (see previous coverage).