Democrats and Republicans in the Senate appear no closer to reaching a deal on a continuing resolution (CR) to reopen the federal government. The House passed their version of the CR on September 19, needing only a simple majority (see previous FABBS coverage here). Senators are divided about how to handle expiring health care subsidies in the CR, which requires 60 votes to pass. With Republicans holding just 53 seats, they need at least seven members of the Democratic caucus—which includes two Independents—to vote with them.
Republicans want to pass a “clean” CR—one that would temporarily fund the government without making any policy changes. Democrats, however, want the CR to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies which are set to expire at the end of the year and most have refused to vote for a CR that fails to do this. While Republicans believe that the debate over subsidies can wait, Democrats want the extension in place before the ACA enrollment period begins on November 1, otherwise healthcare costs will soar for many Americans.
CR discussions began about three weeks ago, as it became clear that the two chambers would not have enough time to reconcile their versions of the 12 appropriations bills before the end of fiscal year 2025 (FY25), October 1. The House passed Representative Tom Cole’s (R-OK) bill that would fund most federal programs at FY25 levels through November 21, leaving the ball in the Senate’s court. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has announced that he will not bring the House back until the Senate has approved a CR.
Neither chamber was in session the week of September 22. The Senate has held several votes since October 1—on both the House bill and a Democratic version—but little progress has been made towards a compromise, as leadership on both sides have barely been in contact over the past week.
The two sides appear to be at a standstill. However, there has been some movement across the aisle. Two Democrats and an Independent joined the Republicans in a recent Senate vote for the House bill. Further, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) has indicated her support for extending the subsidies, arguing that their expiration would double healthcare premiums.
Although there is no telling how long it will last, the shutdown has negatively affected federal agencies, including those that fund science across the country. Well over 500,000 federal employees have been furloughed (i.e., temporarily suspended without pay) thus far and the Trump Administration has threatened to permanently lay off employees if a CR is not passed soon. Most workers at federal science agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF), are considered nonessential and are not expected to work during a shutdown. At NIH, only about 25 percent of staff have been kept on, as most activities unrelated to the Clinical Center—including extramural grantmaking—will not continue during the shutdown. A current NSF contingency plan is not yet available, but most activities there are also on hold, including new funding decisions. At both agencies, grant proposals can still be submitted but will not be processed until the shutdown ends.
