Nearly two months into Fiscal Year 2020, lawmakers still lack a clear path forward on appropriations for the year. Federal government operations are currently funded on a continuing resolution (CR), a stopgap measure, which expires on November 21. Congress and the White House do agree that a government shutdown at that point would be harmful. They plan to advance a second CR to allow another month for negotiations. However, its far from certain that disagreements over funding for additional barrier on the southern border would be resolved in that time. Further, the next CR will likely run through December 20, setting the next legislative deadline on FY20 funding right in the midst of the impeachment process playing out on Capitol Hill. It's unclear whether enough goodwill will exist in Washington at that point to push FY20 funding to completion.

If the FY20 process lasts well into the new year, Congress could decide to approve a CR that spans the entire fiscal year. A yearlong CR would fund federal agencies/programs at their FY19 levels, nullifying increases for research agencies and student aid accounts that were approved by the House and Senate earlier in the year. 

Despite the lack of a resolution to the FY20 appropriations process, planning for the beginning of the FY21 process has already begun on an off of Capitol Hill. Please email jnurse@fsu.edu by December 15th if there is a federal agency/program that you would like to have included in the FSU FY21 Legislative Agenda.