NEI/NIH Funding

With Pending February 18 Deadline Approaching, Congress Introduces Extended Funding Bill through March 11, 2022

On February 7, with the looming February 18 deadline of the current Continuing Resolution (CR), Congresswoman DeLauro (D-CT) introduced a CR to provide a short-term extension for the 2022 fiscal year (FY22). The current CR funds the government through February 18; however, Congress has still not finalized top-line budget numbers or negotiated policy riders.

Votes are expected as soon as February 8 in the House with the Senate set to take up action later this week. Passage of the CR is expected before the February 18 deadline fending off the threat of a government shutdown.

The proposed CR will continue funding through March 11 at FY21 levels. While a shutdown is expected to be avoided, this continues to create challenges for federal agencies allocating research dollars. Delays in passing a full-year budget negatively impact the ability of NEI and DoD, among others, to approve new research grants or provide supplemental funding for existing grants. Both the House and Senate appropriations bills drafted in 2021 include increases for NIH, and NEI specifically.

NAEVR continues to urge Congress to finalize FY22 appropriations for NEI at the House level of $877 M, a $41.39 M increase over the FY21 allocation.