In a recent letter, FSU and the 83 other universities that make up the Coalition for National Security Research called on Congress to raise the overall discretionary budget caps for Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021. Unless a bipartisan agreement is reached to raise the caps, significant reductions will be required of agencies across the government, including many important to research. 

The Coalition for National Security Research Statement

At present, there is no end in sight to the partial federal government shutdown. The shutdown will become the nation's longest on Saturday. The White House and congressional Democrats remain at an impasse over the need for funding of a southern border wall. Without an agreement, the White House is opposed to approving any additional FY 2019 appropriations bills, including those that fund agencies such as NSF and NASA. Rank and file Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill continue to search for a way out of the standoff. Many observers expect the president to declare a national emergency that yields a path to funding of a wall, which then gets tied-up in court. Republicans leaders have floated the idea of adding Democratic priorities on immigration, such as a pathway to legal status for the DACA population, to a package that would reopen the government and provide some funding for the southern border wall. However, Democrats remain nearly unified in opposition to any funding for a southern border wall. 

Over the next few days, the impacts of the partial federal government shutdown are going to become increasingly clear to the public. National higher education and research groups are now collecting such stories. If you have a story that captures an impact of the partial federal government shutdown, please email jnurse@fsu.edu. 

The National Science Foundation has released guidance for proposers and grantees regarding its operational status during the partial government shutdown. Other impacted research agencies will likely release similar guidance, which builds upon and clarifies their standing contingency plans for operations during a lapse in appropriations.

NSF Shutdown Guidance

Federal agencies that have yet to receive full year appropriations for 2019 will cease non-essential operations at midnight unless the White House and Congress forge a last minute agreement, which appears highly unlikely at this point. ... Read More

According to the NSF, funding of higher education R & D increased at 4.7 percent. This includes all areas of research that saw increases for the second consecutive year. ... Read More

Congress returned Tuesday, November 13th, for the lame duck session with leadership elections planned for both chambers of the House in the next upcoming weeks. ... Read More

The president today signed a bill that provides funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other agencies. $39.1 billion for NIH, a $2 billion increase from last year’s budget. ... Read More

The Ad Hoc Group issued a response statement to the recent passing in the house-senate for funding the National Institutes of Health (NIH). ... Read More

Appropriators on Capitol Hill have announced an agreement that funds several key departments (Defense, Education, Labor, Health and Human Services) for the full fiscal year and others through December 7. ... Read More

Over the summer, the House and Senate worked on different tracks to advance spending bills for the fiscal year that begins on October 1. ... Read More

Advocacy for federal investments in research and student financial assistance programs is an important activity that is regularly undertaken by administrators, faculty and students. ... Read More

The House and Senate continue to advance spending bills for the coming fiscal year. Thus far, research and student aid agencies/programs have fared relatively well in the FY19 appropriations process. ... Read More

Earlier today, President Trump signed a final spending package into law for Fiscal Year 2018. ... Read More

Representatives Neal Dunn and Al Lawson joined 159 other representatives to push for increased funding for the National Science Foundation in Fiscal Year 2019. ... Read More

Earlier today, the Trump administration released its budget request to Congress for Fiscal Year 2019. ... Read More

A bipartisan group of House and Senate leaders have reached agreement on a two-year spending deal. ... Read More

The White House has provided federal agencies with guidance on the anticipated government shutdown. ... Read More

Today, a government shutdown looks more likely as most congressional Democrats and some Republicans express opposition to another stopgap bill to fund that government. ... Read More

Now that the House and Senate have approved separate tax bills, select members from each chamber will meet in a conference committee to resolve differences. ... Read More

Early Saturday morning, a tax reform package emerged from the Senate on a 51-49 vote. ... Read More

House and Senate Republican and Democratic leaders set to meet on requirements for a second temporary measure to keep the government open beyond December 8. ... Read More

Fiscal Year 2018 begins this Sunday (October 1) and federal funding levels remain to be determined on Capitol Hill. ... Read More

Earlier today, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees health and education programs put forward a FY 2018 increase of $2 billion or 5.9% for the National Institutes of Health and a 1.7% increase for the discretionary part of the Pell Grant program that would result in a new maximum award of $6,020. ... Read More

Rep. Francis Rooney of Florida has proposed to cut the Institute of Education Sciences by $195.3 million. ... Read More

The White House Office of Management and Budget released research and development priorities for Fiscal Year 2019. ... Read More