Congress running out of time to pass FY2020 appropriations
There is a flurry of activity on Capitol Hill this week, as impeachment proceedings collide with the year-end rush to get critical bills passed before the holidays. Among the many unknowns in DC right now is what Congress will do about government funding, which is expiring in just 8 days.
Here's where things stand - and how you can help:
Congress has now passed two temporary spending bills - also known as Continuing Resolutions - since fiscal year 2020 began on October 1st. A CR is a stopgap measure that provides temporary funding when a budget resolution cannot be reached by deadline. The current CR expires on December 20th.
At this moment, Members of Congress are debating whether to pass a complete FY20 budget - comprised of a series of funding bills - or yet another stopgap CR, which would freeze funding at current levels. If Congress does neither, the government shuts down until funding can be negotiated.
Now is the time to emphasize to your Senators and Representative the life-saving importance of robust funding for the National Institutes of Health, including the National Cancer Institute (NCI). We ask Congress to prioritize passing a complete budget, as a shutdown poses a direct threat to public health and stopgap measures stifle progress in science and research by stalling long-term projects.