Advocacy at a Glance

Continuing Resolution Extends Funding through December 20. After some worrisome back-and-forth negotiating over additional items (e.g. full-year Census funding, a military pay raise), the House and Senate agreed upon and the President signed a Continuing Resolution that extends government funding through December 20. As we have noted, operating under the CR means that FDA can only spend at the same rate as its FY 19 appropriations and there are some restrictions on new programming. However, a shutdown was avoided and Congress has given itself another 4 weeks to find resolution on the 12 appropriations bills, none of which have yet gone to the President (note: the bills are likely to be adopted in packages that contain several funding bills put together into a minibus bill.)Budget Deals: 302(b) Subcommittee Allocations Finally in Place. Last week’s Advocacy at a Glance reported on a budget deal that appropriators were touting as “close” that would have resolved the dispute over 302(b) subcommittee spending allocations.  No deal was released this week, reportedly because the final details are still not resolved, but also (we presume) because the last few days of negotiating on the CR were quite distracting and took much of the week. While negotiations will probably continue on 302(b) spending levels, we would not expect resolution or any public details until after the Thanksgiving recess.Imperative for Non-Defense Funding: Don’t Get Separated From DOD.  Previously, we have explored how the unfinished Defense Department appropriations bill is the best guarantor that FDA and other non-defense programs will not be subject to a shutdown or a full-year continuing resolution. Once spending bills start to move (hopefully in December), it becomes a concern as to the order in which they are taken up, finalized, and sent to the President. We would hope it didn’t matter -- that Congress and the President are committed to finalizing all 12 appropriations bills -- but it would be reassuring if other bills are moving forward to completion before the DOD funding bill.Special Thanksgiving Message. This week’s Analysis and Commentary explores how FDA and Thanksgiving are intertwined and why an effective FDA is something for which we should be thankful.Alliance 2020 Invoices Sent to Member Points of Contact. By now, every current Alliance member should have received an invoice for their 2020 dues, allowing you to pay with either 2019 or 2020 funds. If you have not received one, e-mail Reed Diskey. If you have questions about your invoice or would like to join the Alliance, e-mail Steven Grossman.No Friday Update on Thanksgiving Friday, November 29. We will be taking next Friday off. Our next Friday Update will be on December 6.