To Members of the NASULGC System:

At the start of a new calendar year – and three months after the beginning of the new fiscal year – Congress still has not finished the F.Y. 2004 appropriations process.

As you recall [ BRT Report Vol. 1, No. 16 ], the House of Representatives passed an omnibus appropriations bill on December 8, 2003, but the Senate adjourned for the year without giving its concurrence. Thus, most of the government (including CSREES) is operating under the terms and conditions of a "Continuing Resolution" (CR). This more or less lets federal agencies operate at the same spending rates as in F.Y. 2003. The current CR expires on January 25.

When last we wrote to you in early December, it seemed a given that the Senate would return in January and pass the omnibus. However, with time the bill has gathered many detractors and it is now much less certain on how or when final passage might occur.

The NASULGC community should be aware that there are many scenarios that may play out. As we discuss options with the Senate staff the best and most accurate description of what may happen is “nobody knows.” The three most obvious options are: (1) the omnibus bill might pass the Senate during the week of January 19th; (2) there might be another short term CR while Congress continues to debate the issues; or (3) Congress could pass a CR for the remainder of the year. Those options are all being discussed as well as some others.

Note: A full year CR could maintain current levels or some lesser amount and would likely eliminate all new congressionally earmarked projects.

We will continue to keep you appraised as all of this unfolds.

Timothy Sanders
Cornerstone Government Affairs