On Tuesday, the House of Representatives passed a six-month continuing resolution (CR) to extend fiscal year (FY) 2025 spending bills through September 2025, the end of the current fiscal year. If passed in the Senate, the measure would keep agencies funded at current levels and avoid a government shutdown, which will happen if Congress fails to pass a new funding bill by the fast-approaching March 14 deadline.
Key Provisions of the CR
The full-year CR proposes a $6 billion increase in defense spending compared to FY 2024 levels, while cutting non-defense funding, which funds federal activities including health care, by $13 billion. These cuts are part of a broader strategy to curb government spending and are expected to impact various domestic programs. Some notable provisions of the CR related to health care are as follows:
- Overall, topline funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other health agencies is consistent with FY 2024 levels, however, some public health advocates have raised concerns that the absence of direction in the CR on where to appropriate funds could leave agencies vulnerable to mass restructuring
- There is an $859 million reduction in funding for the Department of Defense’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP), which funds critical health-related studies.
- The bill would not provide additional funding for a variety of emergency preparedness programs, including for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) disaster relief fund.
- The bill also excludes all earmarks (a term describing provisions in a spending bill that are directed to a particular recipient or project in a congressional district or state), including $890 million in grants for health care facilities and equipment.
While the House was successful in passing the measure, the bill is likely to face resistance in the Senate, where the bill will need the support of at least eight Democrats to advance. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said on Wednesday that Democrats would reject the House’s CR. House Appropriations Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Senate Appropriations Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) have raised concerns about the bill’s provisions, introducing their own short-term CR that would keep the government funded through April 12.
SWHR will continue to closely monitor and share updates on appropriations developments, particularly those that affect women’s health. For questions, please contact the SWHR Policy Team at policy@swhr.org.