Continuing at fiscal 2007 level

FDA and other federal agencies will operate under fiscal 2007 appropriation levels through Nov. 16, according to a continuing resolution passed by Congress on Sept. 27. With no fiscal 2008 appropriations approved by either chamber of Congress as the end of the federal fiscal year approached, House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey, D-Wis., on Sept. 25 introduced H. Res. 52 to continue funding government for six weeks. The spending directive for each federal agency would be replaced by its fiscal 2008 appropriation prior to Nov. 16 in the event Congress enacts the legislation before that date, according to H. Res. 52. Like other federal agencies not within the departments of Defense and Homeland Security, FDA's entire fiscal 2007 budget was included in a continuing resolution Congress enacted in February after failing to agree on fiscal 2008 spending levels in separate bills covering the traditional grouping of agencies (1"The Tan Sheet" Feb. 19, 2007, p. 14). House Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., in March said the Bush administration's fiscal 2008 budget request for FDA did not reflect the agency's needs (2"The Tan Sheet" March 5. 2007, p. 18)...