Short-Term CR Reopens Government Through January 30
Published November 17, 2025
By AACOM Government Relations
Federal Policy OME Advocate
On November 12, 2025, following a compromise brokered in the Senate between Republican leadership and eight Democratic Senators, the House voted 222-209 to reopen the government, ending the 43-day shutdown. The package includes full-year, fiscal 2026 funding for Agriculture and Veterans Affairs departments, military construction projects and the Legislative Branch. Most other government departments and programs will be funded at fiscal year (FY) 2025 levels in a continuing resolution (CR) through January 30, 2026. Democrats failed to include extension of the Affordable Care Act premium tax credits in the package, but as part of the Senate deal, Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) promised Democrats a vote on the credits by early December. The bill also authorizes back pay for federal employees, including those furloughed, and bars agencies from reducing full-time staff before January 30, 2026. Of particular importance to osteopathic medical education are the funding levels and extensions of the following programs in the CR through January 30, 2026:
Congress must still reach agreement on funding for the remaining FY26 appropriations bills. Last week, Senate GOP leadership signaled through a hotline that the next appropriations package to advance will likely combine the Defense, Commerce-Justice-Science, Interior, Labor-HHS-Education and Transportation-HUD bills. Both the House and Senate versions of the FY26 Labor-HHS-Education bills include the AACOM-requested report language urging increased NIH engagement with osteopathic medical schools and expanding community-based clinical rotations. AACOM will continue working with appropriators as negotiations move forward to ensure these priorities are retained. |