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

June 2024 Federal and Legislative Updates

June 13, 2024

House passes National Defense Authorization Act The week of June 9, the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY25. This bill sets the Pentagon’s policy agenda and authorizes how the Department of Defense can use federal funding. The House NDAA will need to align with the Senate’s bill. The Senate Armed Services Committee ... Read more

May 2024 Federal and Legislative Updates

May 8, 2024

NIH raises compensation levels for NRSA scholars The NIH recently announced plans to raise annual pay levels for pre- and postdoctoral scholars supported by the Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSA) at NIH-funded external institutions over the next five years. In FY24, predoctoral scholars will see an approximate 4% increase, bringing their pay level to ... Read more

April 2024 Federal and Legislative Update

April 11, 2024

Congress passes FY24 bills In March, Congress passed all twelve spending bills for FY24, which began October 1. Lawmakers passed the spending legislation in two parts, with six appropriations bills in each package. Many research and student aid programs received flat funding or decreases compared to the previous fiscal year. See the Office of Federal ... Read more

March 2024 Federal and Legislative Update

March 13, 2024

Congress passes half of FY24 bills ahead of March 22 deadline On March 8, Congress passed a comprehensive FY24 spending package encompassing six bills: Agriculture-FDA, Energy-Water, Military Construction-VA, Transportation-HUD, Interior-Environment, and Commerce-Justice-Science. President Biden signed the spending package into law on March 9. This action marks completion of six out of the total twelve spending ... Read more

February 2024 Federal and Legislative Update

February 8, 2024

FY24 spending bills update An agreement on funding levels for the 12 annual spending bills that fund the government has been reached following extensive negotiations. Topline numbers have not been publicly disclosed. Congressional appropriators can now determine the specific funding details for every program and department within each government agency. Congress’s self-imposed deadlines for passing ... Read more

January 2024 Federal and Legislative Update

January 11, 2024

Congress works to make FY24 funding agreement before Jan. 19 deadline Senate and House leaders say they have reached an agreement on FY24 funding levels. Overall, the agreement would increase defense spending by 3% and non-defense discretionary funding would stay roughly flat. The deal does not specify the amounts for each of the twelve FY24 ... Read more