Fate of 2022 Spending Unknown as End of Fiscal Year Looms

On Monday, the Senate blocked the House-passed continuing resolution (CR) that would have kept the government funded through December 3. Senate Republicans opposed the bill because it includes a suspension of the debt limit through mid-December. The Senate will try to pass a “clean” CR later this week to avoid a government shutdown come October 1, the start of fiscal year (FY) 2022.

In the meantime, the fate of the FY 2022 appropriations bills remains in limbo. As previously reported, the House has passed nine of its 13 annual spending bills over the summer, while the remaining bills have passed committee but have not reached a floor vote. The Senate Appropriations Committee, meanwhile, has yet to release details of the bills of most interest to the scientific community.

In all likelihood, a CR will be enacted until December, giving Congress additional time to work through its many competing priorities, including President Biden’s Build Back Better initiative (see related article), reconciliation legislation, and, of course, FY 2022 appropriations.

Stay tuned to COSSA’s coverage for the latest on these and other important topics.