It is now likely that there will be a weekend government shutdown as Congress appears unable to reach an agreement to finalize fiscal year (FY) 2021 government spending before the deadline of midnight on December 18, 2020. The impact of a weekend shutdown on government operations is minimal, but if Congress does not pass the FY2021 spending measure by the night of December 20, the impact on government agencies, including the NIH, will become significant. We do expect Congress and the Administration to reach a deal over the next few days as neither political party leadership, nor the Administration, see any benefit to a government shutdown before the holidays, along with the added need to enact unemployment insurance and small business relief program extensions and other COVID relief before the end of the year.
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Brief Weekend Government Shutdown Likely as Congress Struggles to Reach Spending Agreement
Brief Weekend Government Shutdown Likely as Congress Struggles to Reach Spending Agreement
Last Reviewed: December 2020
