Trump Signs Spending/Coronavirus Relief Package, Avoiding Government Shutdown

President Trump signed Congress’ combined appropriations and COVID-19 relief package late on Sunday, averting a looming federal government shutdown.

Despite suggesting that he might reject the legislation last week, calling it a “disgrace” and demanding revisions to the long-awaited package, the president signed the massive $2.3 trillion bill that was agreed to between Republicans and Democrats after months of deliberations. The president’s signature prevents a government shutdown that was due to begin at midnight (12 am Tuesday).

The $1.4 trillion omnibus spending portion of the package grants the FDA a total $3.2 billion in funding, or $5.876 billion when accounting for user fees, for fiscal 2021. The agency previously received $3.16 billion in appropriations for fiscal 2020 and a total budget of $5.8 billion including user fees.

Of the increased $42.25 million going to the FDA, $22 million goes toward medical product initiatives. This includes $5 million for modernizing flu vaccines, $2 million for human drug compounding, $3.5 million for a foreign unannounced inspection pilot program and $2.5 million for rare cancer treatments. The agency will also receive $7 million for artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.

For medical devices, the agency will receive $9 million to put toward establishing a knowledge management system and portal.

In addition, the spending bill grants the FDA $55 million in emergency funding for developing and reviewing medical countermeasures, vaccines, therapies and devices used in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds will assist the agency in monitoring the supply chain.

Of the emergency funding, $30.5 million will go toward advanced manufacturing of medical products; $9 million toward product development; $5 million for after-action review activities; $7.6 million for public health research and response investments; and $1.4 million for data management operation tools.

The legislation additionally features a $900 billion coronavirus relief component that supports Americans impacted by the pandemic through a number of different measures. — James Miessler