While the House of Representatives has passed 10 of the 12 annual spending bills that fund the government, the Senate has passed only four, and the two chambers have not resolved their differences on any of them.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) has said that the chamber will pass a second stopgap spending bill, or continuing resolution (CR), before November 21 to fund the government from November 22 to December 20, 2019. Unfortunately, this means that funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) continues to be held hostage until a final FY 2020 funding bill can be passed. While operating under a stopgap funding measure, the NIH policy is that it will issue non-competing research grant awards at a level below that indicated on the most recent Notice of Award (generally up to 90% of the previously committed level.) Upward adjustments to awarded levels will be considered after FY 2020 appropriations are enacted.
If lawmakers agree to a set of topline allocations by November 20, 2019, they have indicated a plan to draft final versions of some bills and get them to the president’s desk by the December 20, 2019, deadline.
The Endocrine Society has been the most vocal advocate for funding endocrine-related research. We have testified before Congress, visited key leaders, and conducted Hill Days, but we need to keep the pressure on. Please join us advocating for endocrine-related research by joining our online advocacy campaign to urge your representative and senators to support NIH funding by passing a final appropriations bill with at least a $2 billion increase for the NIH. Visit endocrine.org/takeaction to participate today!
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