Federal Government Expected to Enter Shutdown, Path Forward Unclear
With Congress not expected to reach a deal to extend current federal spending levels by September 30, the federal government is expected to run out of funding and enter a shutdown. Under the shutdown, non-essential government employees will be furloughed and many government services will cease. This is expected to limit the ability of agencies to review and fund proposals, respond to inquiries on award management, and issue new regulations or rulemaking, among other activities. Agencies will also not be able to make manual payments on grants, though researchers are sometimes able to draw down on grants if the agency uses an automated electronic system. Even following the reopening of the federal government, a shutdown often has lingering impacts as review panels, internal meetings, site visits, and other activities need to be rescheduled, further delaying agency initiatives or awards. Following past shutdowns, agencies have pushed back program deadlines that fell during the shutdown period or allowed applicants to update proposals submitted during the shutdown; however, this is not guaranteed and applicants should still plan to submit finalized proposals if government is shutdown at the deadline.
In order to reopen the government, Congress will need to reach an agreement to pass a continuing resolution (CR) extending current funding levels, or pass its annual appropriations bills to set new funding levels for fiscal year (FY) 2024. Its not yet clear how long the shutdown will last. The Senate advanced a continuing resolution earlier this week that included disaster response funding and around $6 billion in aid for Ukraine. However, this bill is not expected to advance in the House, as the level of aid for Ukraine is a non-starter for many House conservatives. While a last-minute deal to avert a federal government shutdown always remains a possibility, SIOP members are encouraged to understand potential impacts of a shutdown to their work, particularly those with federal grants or partners.
Publication Type
Washington InfO
Topic
Government Relations