Congress To ‘Punt’ Spending Decisions Until 2007

Republican leadership on Capitol Hill decided to punt action on the remaining FY 2007 appropriations bills to the Democratically-controlled 110th Congress. Included in the unfinished items is legislation that funds the National Institutes of Health for FY 2007.

Congress has passed only two of the 11 annual spending bills: Defense and Homeland Security. A continuing resolution (CR) currently funds the remaining bills, and it expires on December 8. The Congress will pass a new CR which will likely expire on February 15, 2007.

At this time, it is not clear how Congress will fund the CR. Typically, the Congress opts for one of the following two choices: 1. Fund programs and activities at the lower of the House-passed level, the Senate-passed level, or, 2. fund the accounts at the FY 2006 current rate.

What does this mean for practicing scientists? Consistent with past action, NIH may issue non-competing research grant awards at a level below that indicated on the most recent Notice of Award (generally up to 80% of the previously committed level). NIH hopes to adjust these levels when a final appropriations bill is enacted.

We will send you follow up information on the final outcome when the JSC staff returns from the annual meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology in San Diego.