The House of Representatives approved a short-term continuing resolution on Tuesday, ensuring federal funding remains in place through early December. While the measure now awaits President Trump’s signature, it is broadly anticipated he will sign it to avert a government shutdown just prior to the midterm elections.
This legislative maneuver has become a standard practice in recent years, as crafting a full-year budget often proves politically difficult. In this instance, internal disagreement within the House Republican caucus prevented the passage of a standalone measure, leading lawmakers to adopt the version of the spending bill already passed by the Senate in August.
For the scientific community, the Senate’s version offers significant relief. It includes a provision that prevents the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from enforcing new regulations that would grant political appointees comprehensive authority over science funding decisions. Under the proposed rules, which had drawn sharp criticism from health and research organizations, political officials would have been able to cancel any grant at any time.
The impending regulation was widely condemned by scientists as disastrous for research integrity. By incorporating the Senate bill, the current budget deal effectively stalls the implementation of those controversial controls until at least December.
Glad the scientists got a reprieve this time. Let’s hope next year’s budget doesn’t undo that hard-won protection.
Is it just me, or is relying on temporary fixes instead of real policy becoming the standard now? This feels unsustainable.