November 2014

AERA has joined other members of the education and scientific communities—including on letters sent under the banners of the Coalition for National Science Funding and Close the Innovation Deficit—to encourage Congress to agree on an omnibus appropriations bill for the remainder of FY 2015. Not only are higher levels of funding critical to the research community, but the uncertainty of funding creates significant challenges to federal agencies trying to plan and manage operations. 

Keeping the government funded beyond December 11 will be the first order of business for the lame duck Congress. In the absence of an agreed-upon budget for FY 2015, Congress is currently operating under a continuing resolution to fund the federal government at roughly FY 2014 levels until December 11. The current levels are below those in proposed FY 2015 budgets.