Update Regarding Potential Federal Shutdown Dec. 21, 2018

December 19, 2018

Research Administration (Grant and Business Managers),

As you may be aware, funding for approximately 12 federal agencies, including the National Science Foundation and the Department of Homeland Security, is set to expire at midnight this Friday, December 21, 2018. While the Office of Government Relations (OGR) remains hopeful there will be a resolution, the possibility of a partial shutdown is very real and we are continuing to monitor the situation.

On Wednesday, December 19, the Senate passed a short-term appropriations bill, which would provide funding for affected agencies until February 8, 2019. This legislation is now pending in the House of Representatives, and would require President Trump’s signature. 

The short-term appropriations bill would provide funding for the following agencies:

  • NSF, 
  • DHS, 
  • Department of Commerce (including NOAA), 
  • the Environmental Protection Agency, and
  • NASA

If the short-term funding bill is not passed by the House and signed by the President, these agencies will shut down operations.

Congress has provided a full year of appropriations to:

  • Department of Defense
  • Deparmtent of Education
  • Department of Energy
  • Department of Health and Human Services (including the National Institutes of Health)

These agencies will not be affected by a lapse in funding and will continue operations.

The breadth of the impact will be driven by how long a shutdown continues; if, like in previous situations, the government resumes operations after a matter of days, the impact will be minimal. We will continue to evaluate the situation and will provide updates as they become available.