On Tuesday, September 1, the US House of Representatives passed the Senate version of a Continuing Resolution (CR) that extends discretionary appropriations through December 11. The stopgap measure delays decisions on Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations until after the midterm elections. The bill was signed into law on Wednesday, September 2.
The legislation keeps the government open through December 11 and blocks the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from finalizing its proposed revisions to the Uniform Guidance for the duration of the continuing resolution (i.e. until December 11).
Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200) is the standardized, government-wide framework of administrative requirements, cost principles, and audit standards for federal awards to universities, states and localities, and other nonprofit organizations. It directly governs how universities and other nonprofit research organizations manage federal research grants – setting rules for allowable costs, indirect cost (F&A) rates, financial reporting, procurement, and compliance for funding from agencies. OMB has proposed sweeping changes that many feared would be implemented October 1.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME), who helped craft the measure, noted that the Uniform Guidance provision “would politicize the grant process”. The Association of American Universities, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and other coalition partners continue to strategize on how to keep building momentum to address the UG revisions and to find a more permanent solution that goes beyond December 11. More than half a million comments were submitted, including from the University of Oregon, expressing concern about the scope of changes put forward by OMB.
The House vote was largely bipartisan with the split being 370-48. In large part the Oregon delegation voted to support the resolution, with one Oregon Democrat voting against it.