On September 9, 2024, Congress returned to session following a six-week summer recess, and now must reach an agreement in the coming days to fund the government and avoid a shutdown. Funding for fiscal year (FY) 2024 spending is set to expire on September 30, 2024, and Congress has yet to pass any of the 12 federal appropriations bills for FY 2025. While a continuing resolution (CR) is very likely to avoid a government shutdown, there is disagreement on the length of the CR, the spending levels of this short-term extension, and whether to attach unrelated or controversial policy proposals. These disagreements also fall in the midst of a heated election season, compounding pressure to avoid a government shutdown. Several health programs are set to expire on October 1st, including funding for the National Health Service Corps, Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (GME), and Community Health Center programs. And while Congress still aims to reauthorize the Substance Use Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities (SUPPORT) Act, it is most likely to be folded into a full year spending bill or large health care package in the coming months, rather than enacted as a standalone bill. 

Impact on General Dentistry: It is critical that Congress pass a CR by September 30, 2024, as a government shutdown would cause widespread harm, particularly for agencies and programs that depend on discretionary funding through annual appropriations acts. As Congress negotiates their spending bills, AGD will continue advocating for inclusion of the reauthorization of the SUPPORT Act, which includes language naming AGD as an approved training provider for practitioners who prescribe controlled substances.