Short-term Continuing Resolution Needed and more

Advocacy at a Glance offers you the bullet point summary of current advocacy issues associated with the goals of the Alliance for a Stronger FDA.

• Waiting for the Numbers. We had referred to the schedule for resolving FY 14 appropriations issues as “tight” and so it has proven. While we had hoped to see numbers this week, the latest word is that the appropriations committees are likely to be releasing the omnibus appropriations bill and reports on Sunday or Monday.

• Short-term Continuing Resolution Needed. The House and Senate announced this afternoon that they will be taking up a short-term Continuing Resolution to bridge the funding gap between midnight on January 15 and the end of the day on Saturday, January 18. That will allow enough time to move the omnibus appropriation bill through both house of Congress.

• Sequestered FY 13 User Fees Appear Likely to be Restored as Part of FY 14 Appropriations. According to the newsletter Inside Health Policy, the FY 13 sequestered user fees -- about $85 million -- will be restored to FDA in the FY 14 appropriation. We cannot confirm this, but have also heard it from other sources.

• Hold this Date. The Alliance’s first quarterly meeting of 2014 is scheduled for Tuesday, February 4 from 1 to 3 p.m. More details will be available on this web site in due course.