Congress Keeps the Government Open Until December 20

With the beginning of Fiscal Year 2025 just 5 days away and no final appropriations bills passed, Congress enacted a continuing resolution (CR) to avoid a government shutdown and keep agencies funded through December 20. Once the bill headed to the president’s desk, Congress adjourned two days earlier than scheduled to go home for campaign season.

The agreement for the CR was resolved after two failed attempts by the House leadership to add politically motivated legislation to the must-pass vehicle. Because of bipartisan opposition from House and Senate members who wanted to avoid a drawn-out legislative battle or a government shutdown, leadership acquiesced to a basic funding patch. In addition to level funding the government, the CR includes additional funds for the Secret Service protection of presidential candidates and flexibility for FEMA funding during the current hurricane season, but no controversial legislation. 

What hangs in the balance for student aid funding is the difference between there being no increase in the Pell Grant maximum and cuts to Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG) and Federal Work-Study (FWS) in the House, and a $100 increase in the Pell Grant maximum and no cuts to SEOG and FWS in the Senate.

Congress is scheduled to return for a post-election, lame duck session from November 12-21, break for Thanksgiving, then finalize work December 3-19. During this period, House and Senate appropriators will have to negotiate final FY 2025 spending. Currently, the Senate has written spending bills at much higher levels than the House.

The outcome of the elections will have an impact on how leadership in both chambers decide whether Congress finalizes spending by December 20, or punts further decisions into next year.