Senate passes bill to end government shutdown, veterinary programs funded

On November 10, the Senate passed a short-term appropriations bill (HR 5371) to end the 43-day government shutdown, the longest in the nation's history. The House is expected to vote on the final passage tonight.

The bipartisan deal includes a continuing resolution (CR) that extends funding for most federal agencies at fiscal year (FY) 2025 levels through January 30, 2026, while a few departments, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), will receive full year funding through September 30, 2026.

HR 5371 grants federal employees back pay and prohibits agencies from reducing full-time staff for the duration of the CR. Also, federal workers fired by the Trump administration since the shutdown began on October 1 are to be rehired.

Eight members of the Senate Democratic Caucus on November 9 joined with most Republicans to vote on the appropriations bill, which passed the following day by a 60-40 margin. The legislation is currently before the U.S. House of Representatives, with a vote expected this week.

HR 5371 provides $203.4 billion in total funding for the USDA and Food and Drug Administration in the full-year appropriations bill, which covers discretionary and mandatory spending. Highlights related to veterinary medicine are as follows:

• Extends most provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill-which were set to expire September 30-through January 30, 2026
• Funds the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program, Veterinary Services Grant Program, and Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank at FY 2025 levels. That is $10 million, $4 million, and $2 million, respectively
• Funds the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility
• Increases by $15 million the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service budget for State Meat and Poultry Inspection and Cooperative Interstate Shipment programs
• Requires the USDA to report on its New World screwworm domestic readiness and response initiative
• Earmarks $750,000 for Alaska Native Rural Veterinary Care; $1.9 million for the University of Georgia's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Pathological Waste Incinerator; $1 million for the development of a DVM program at the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore; and $560,535 for a Mobile Veterinary Research and Training Laboratory at Utah State University