June 2025 Federal and Legislative Updates

June 11, 2025

Budget reconciliation passes in the House On May 16, the House Budget Committee reviewed a new budget plan but initially failed to pass it. Two days later, it passed narrowly, 17-16, with five Republicans voting “present.” Named H.R. 1: “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” the measure then cleared the House Rules Committee after a ... Read more

May 2025 Federal and Legislative Update

May 8, 2025

House committee markups begin in the reconciliation process The House passed an updated reconciliation bill before the two-week April recess. The next step in the process has started and consists of various House committees marking up their reconciliation bill. They have been tasked with finding at least $1.5 trillion in cuts over the next 10 ... Read more

April 2025 Federal and Legislative Updates

April 10, 2025

Budget reconciliation passes the Senate On April 4, floor debate on the compromised version of the budget blueprint took place. Amendments were suggested and voted upon, but there was no additional debate. Voting took place, and the bill passed the Senate reaching the 50-vote threshold. The measure will now be considered by the House. The ... Read more

March 2025 Federal and Legislative Updates

March 12, 2025

Injunction issued on NIH F&A cap On Thursday, March 6, a judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued a preliminary injunction against the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) proposed indirect costs rate cap of 15%. This ruling will halt the implementation, application, and enforcement of the guidance the NIH released ... Read more

January 2025 Federal and Legislative Updates

January 8, 2025

The Conclusion of 2024 On December 20, 2024, the House and Senate passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) to extend government funding and avoid a government shutdown. The bill continues funding at FY24 levels through March 14, 2025. The CR included many measures, like $110 billion in additional disaster relief funding for states such as North ... Read more

December 2024 Federal and Legislative Updates

December 10, 2024

FY25 appropriations update Congress faces critical decisions on federal funding as the current continuing resolution (CR) expires on December 20. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) supports a short-term CR extending into early 2025, enabling a Republican-led Congress and administration to set spending priorities. In contrast, Senate leaders, including incoming Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), are ... Read more

October 2024 Federal and Legislative Updates

October 8, 2024

Congress passes stopgap bill and hits the campaign trail On September 25, the Senate passed a continuing resolution (CR), extending current funding levels through December 20. This move delays a full-year budget deal until after the November elections, avoiding a potential government shutdown ahead of the September 30 deadline. The Senate passed the bill 78-18, ... Read more

September 2024 Federal and Legislative Updates

September 11, 2024

Congress returns from summer recess Congress returned to D.C. on Monday, September 9. Prior to their recess, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved four additional bills: Defense, Energy-Water, Financial Services, and Labor-Health & Human Services – Education. On the Senate’s to-do list upon their return is to work on the Homeland Security Spending package. The House ... Read more

August 2024 Federal and Legislative Updates

August 7, 2024

The Senate’s out for Summer On August 1, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved four FY25 bills before leaving town to start their August recess: Defense, Energy-Water, Financial Services, and Labor-Health & Human Services-Education. Senate Appropriators have advanced 11 of its 12 funding bills – leaving work on the Homeland Security spending package until the second ... Read more

July 2024 Federal and Legislative Updates

July 11, 2024

FY25 Appropriations Update The week of July 8, the House is advancing its consideration of FY25 appropriations, while the Senate Appropriations Committee has initiated its own funding deliberations. House Action The House appropriators have advanced FY25 funding bills for Commerce-Justice-Science, Interior, Energy, Labor-Health and Human Services-Education, and Agriculture. The House aligned FY25 funding levels with ... Read more