NAEVR/AEVR News
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AEVR/NAEVR News
Congress Passes Continuing Resolution that Funds the Government in
FY2021 Until December 11
On Sept. 30, the Senate approved and the President signed a Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Continuing Resolution (CR) that funds the government through December 11. Passed by the House on September 22, it funds agencies at their FY2020 levels. Although it did not provide any additional research relief funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it does extend availability of funding for NIH multi-year grants that were available for obligation through FY2015 and set to expire on Sept. 30, 2020.
The CR avoided a government shutdown because none of the regular FY2021 appropriations bills were signed into law before the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1. The House passed 10 of its bills in two ‘minibus’ appropriations bills, while the Senate had yet to act on any of its companion bills. While NAEVR issued a statement of appreciation to Congress for avoiding a shutdown, it urged legislators to finalize FY2021 appropriations with funding to build the NIH/NEI base — as had been done in the past five appropriations cycles — and provide emergency funding for COVID-19 related activities, including NIH research relief due to lab closures. As part of AEVR’s Sixth Annual Emerging Vision Scientists (EVS) Day on Capitol Hill the prior week, the 22 early-stage researchers participating in this year’s virtual NAEVR Advocacy Day described to their Congressional delegations how delayed appropriations are detrimental to research in limiting new programs or initiatives, delaying grant awards, and potentially requiring investigators to seek private “bridge” funding to continue research. The 22 EVSs also participated in a 30-minute discussion entitled Impact of COVID-19 Lab Closures on the Next Generation of Vision Scientists, which addressed patient engagement, animal colonies and cell cultures, collaborations, training, and overall impact on career pathway.
To read about the CR and NAEVR’s statement, click here.
To view the Sixth Annual EVS videos and 30-minute COVID-19 conversation, click here.
