President Donald Trump is expected to sign a continuing resolution (CR) that would extend fiscal year (FY) 2020 funding for another week through Dec. 18 while lawmakers race to complete legislation to fund the federal government for FY 2021 [see Washington Highlights, Nov. 13]. The CR would also delay Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital cuts and extend mandatory funding for the National Health Service Corps and the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program until Dec. 18.
The Senate passed the Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021, and Other Extensions Act (H.R. 8900) by unanimous consent on Dec. 11, following the 343-67 vote passage in the House of Representatives on Dec. 9.
The AAMC joined more than 170 organizations and institutions — representing hundreds of thousands of individuals and entities working in science, technology, engineering, medicine, and mathematics — to urge the rapid completion of FY 2021 spending in a Dec. 8 letter to House and Senate leaders.
“The disruption created by short and long-term CRs has severe consequences for science and research. The public health and economic crises caused by COVID-19 further compound the negative effects of unpredictable funding; as such, in addition to finalizing the annual funding levels for science agencies and programs, we urge enactment of emergency research relief funding to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the letter stated.