Uncertainty for budget and appropriations in FY 2021
The Fiscal Year 2021 budget process remains uncertain, as the House and Senate are not set to return to Washington until early May. Originally, the House planned to mark up the spending bills this week while both chambers continuing to work on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) throughout May and June. Last year, the House Appropriations Committee passed the energy appropriations bill by May 21, and the House Armed Services Committee passed the NDAA by June 19.
If Congress begins the appropriations process in the coming weeks or months, it is still possible that the ultimate result will be a continuing resolution, carrying over the FY 2020 funding levels into next year. On top of the delays caused by COVID-19, a presidential election year usually means Congress will pass a continuing resolution (which happened in 2016 and 2012), punting the budget process into the new calendar year.
While appropriations have been put on hold, Congress has passed three coronavirus relief bills, totaling over $2 trillion with a “phase 4” bill expected to be taken up in the near future.
More news about Congress’s schedule and the budget can be found here: