Senate appropriators on Sunday released text of a bipartisan continuing resolution (CR) that would keep the federal government operating until Dec. 11, allowing lawmakers to defer final decision-making on fiscal year (FY) 2027 spending levels until after the midterm elections. The stopgap, which would need to be enacted by Sept. 30 to avoid a government shutdown, would continue funding for federal agencies at FY 2026 levels for the first few months of the fiscal year.
The legislation also includes a provision that would delay through the duration of the CR any action by the administration on the Office of Management and Budget’s proposed rule to reform the Uniform Guidance. The AAMC was among an estimated 500,000 commenters on the rule and expressed concern about its impact [refer to Washington Highlights, July 10].
Senators were expected to vote on the CR shortly after its release, but as of press time, negotiations on a variety of issues were causing the vote to stall. The House, which on July 21 had approved its own version of the CR [refer to Washington Highlights, July 24], also would need to vote on the legislation. The White House indicated support (PDF) for the Senate bill on Monday.