United States: Congress Passes Stopgap Spending Measure Funding Government Through December 3, Averting Government Shutdown
September 30, 2021
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At a glance
- The stopgap measure funds the U.S. government through December 3, 2021, as FY 2022 federal budget negotiations continue.
- The bill also extends the E-Verify and Conrad 30 programs through December 3, 2021.
- President Biden is expected to sign the bill today.
The issue
A temporary spending measure was passed by the U.S. Congress, which will fund the U.S. government β including immigration operations β through December 3, 2021 while Congress continues to debate the FY 2022 federal budget. The bill will now go to President Biden, who is expected to sign the measure, averting a government shutdown on October 1, 2021.
Temporary extension of expiring immigration programs
The bill extends two expiring immigration programs through December 3 β the E-Verify program and the Conrad 30 program for foreign medical graduates working in underserved areas. These programs were set to expire after 11:59pm ET on September 30, 2021.
What the short-term measure means for employers
Passage of the stopgap measure will mean there should be no interruption of federal operations for now. If Congress does not pass FY 2022 appropriations legislation or a further temporary measure by December 3, 2021, a government shutdown would occur at that time. However, it is not unusual for Congress to continue passing successive short-term spending measures as budget negotiations continue.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.
