On Sunday, senators and representatives arrived on Capitol Hill to begin the work of the 117th Congress. With a Phase IV COVID-19 financial relief and final FY21 appropriations package signed into law, the new Congress will likely first set its sights on kicking off the FY22 appropriations process and potentially a new round of COVID-19 relief.

The FY22 appropriations process will officially begin with the release of President-elect Biden's first budget request to Congress, which is scheduled for February 1st. The date could be pushed back to allow his administration time to set initial funding and policy priorities. Simultaneously, interest groups will begin engaging the Hill with FY22 funding recommendations. FSU faculty and staff seeking to engage the Hill on funding priorities are asked to work with the Office of Federal Relations, which can help in preparing a funding recommendation, facilitating congressional meetings, following-up throughout the appropriations process, and appropriately reporting the interactions as required by the Lobbying Disclosure Act.

Members of both parties have indicated a desire to complete a new round of COVID-19 relief this year. The specific timing and scope of such a package will largely hinge on which party controls the Senate, a matter to be decided today by a pair of Georgia runoff elections.