Status of the Continuing Resolution
Speaker Johnson has said he will reveal his approach to the shutdown threat on Friday, November 10, which is otherwise a federal holiday. As a result, we will publish this week’s Analysis and Commentary on Monday, November 13 and it will reflect the situation that evolves Friday and over the weekend.
Additionally, we urge you to sign up to hear the new Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods at the Alliance webinar at 1 p.m. ET on Monday, November 13. Details are below.
Status of the Continuing Resolution. No specific plan has emerged for how to extend the Continuing Resolution (CR) beyond November 17.
The House Republican Conference discussed but did not agree to a “laddered” approach that likely would extend the first package until December 7. The theory is that a conference committee could meet on at least Agriculture/FDA, Transportation/HUD and Military Construction/VA, given Senate passage of the minibus containing these bills.
The remaining bills would have a CR date sometime in January. Speaker Johnson has also discussed a clean CR through January 15. The Speaker indicates he will announce his strategy on Friday.
The Senate has not advanced a new CR, but the belief is that Senate Majority Leader Schumer would prefer extending the current CR no further than mid-December. In his view, that would keep the pressure on Congress to act on funding bills.
House Action on Appropriations. The House this week took up the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development bill, and the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill. The Transportation/HUD bill reduces spending by 25% below Fiscal Year 2023 levels. A vote on final passage has stalled given disagreements over funding levels for Amtrak and other matters in the bill.
The House has now turned to considering amendments to the Financial Services bill, which is seven percent below the Fiscal Year 2023 enacted level and two percent below the Fiscal Year 2022 enacted level. The vote for final passage may occur later today (Thursday, November 8).
The House still has a number of other bills they have not yet considered, including Labor-HHS and Commerce, Justice, and Science. The House Rules Committee may meet on those measures next week, with the hope of moving them to the floor for further consideration.
Given the defeat of the Agriculture/FDA bill, uncertainty surrounding Transportation/HUD, and pendency of these other measures, completion of House action on each of the 12 appropriations bills is unlikely in the near term.
Senate Action on Appropriations. The Senate did not take any action on individual appropriation bills this week. Negotiations continue regarding next steps, including the possibility of a “maxibus” of the nine remaining appropriations bills in one package.
Senator Murray on Overwhelming Passage of Senate Minibus, Next Steps for Appropriations. “While we may need another CR before our work is done, we absolutely have to remember—long-term CRs are no way to govern and they certainly are no way to lead.” AND “When we operate on long-term CRs, our agencies are stuck in neutral; they cannot plan for the future, they have to delay initiatives and investments, and they are far less equipped to meet the pressing challenges we face.” See the Senate Appropriations press release here.
Upcoming Alliance Webinar with James “Jim” Jones, FDA’s First Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, on November 13th at 1pm ET - Register here. Jim Jones joined the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in September 2023 as FDA’s first Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods.
For many stakeholders, this will be the first opportunity to hear him discuss his priorities, plans, and approach to change. Moderating the session will be Alliance board members Alison Bodor (American Frozen Foods Institute) and Thomas Gremillion (Consumer Federation of America).
Alliance Sending 2024 Dues Invoices to Members During the Week of November 13. The Alliance will be sending out 2024 dues invoices in mid-November. This is to accommodate members who want to pay their dues out of 2023 funds. Otherwise, dues payments should be made during the first quarter of 2024.
If you need an invoice sooner than November 13, please contact Marilyn Lawlor. If you have questions about your dues, need supporting documentation (reasons to belong, accomplishments, etc), or want to become a member, contact Steven Grossman.