To Members of the NASULGC System:
- Board on Agriculture Assembly
- Budget and Advocacy Committee
- Council on Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching
- Council on Governmental Affairs

Fiscal year 2008 begins on Monday, October 1, and yet Congress has not enacted any of the 12 regular appropriations bills needed to keep the U.S. government operating beyond next Sunday. To address this situation, congressional leaders are preparing a stop-gap measure — known as a "continuing resolution"  — to keep federal departments and agencies funded at fiscal 2007 levels through November 16.

The appropriations process has stalled because Congress intends to spend $23 billion more than the $933 billion in discretionary spending President Bush has requested for fiscal 2008. Bush has threatened — in no uncertain terms — to veto individual appropriations bills that exceed his request, with the exception of the Military Construction-Veterans Affairs spending bill.

Congress is still developing its strategy for confronting the veto threats. One option being considered is to combine domestic bills that face a veto threat with bills the President is expected to sign (such as the Department of Defense Appropriations bill). Congressional Quarterly quoted the president earlier this week saying:

"The congressional leaders may end up lumping all 12 outstanding appropriations bills into one massive trillion-dollar piece of legislation later this year. This would make it easier for members to sneak in all kinds of special projects, put in wasteful spending or pork barrel that they are not willing to debate in the open. If they think that by waiting until just before they leave for the year to send me a bill that is way over budget and thicker than a phone book — they think that’s going to force me to sign it, it’s not."

One of the bills caught up in this six-shooter standoff is the Agriculture Appropriations bill, which provides funding for the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) as well as the Food and Drug Administration. Under the terms of the continuing resolution that Congress is expected to pass later this week, CSREES programs would be funded from October 1 to November 16 at fiscal 2007 levels (unless a separate Agriculture Appropriations bill is signed into law prior to November 16).

We will be closely monitoring congressional progress in this regard, working to protect NASULGC priorities in the appropriations bills, and keeping you apprised of developments. And, as always, we will alert you of any developments that may call for your attention or action.

The Cornerstone Team