As we approach the end of the fiscal year, Congress passed g a continuing resolution (CR) to keep federal agencies operating through the fall, avoiding a government shutdown
On September 2, the President signed H.R. 6500, the “Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027,” into law. The measure, which extends government funding at current FY 2026 levels through December 11, 2026, passed with overwhelming bipartisan support following a 90-6 vote in the Senate and a 370-48 vote in the House.
For ACSM members, this temporary extension provides critical stability. Federal agencies that are vital to our mission—including the CDC, NIH, and other departments that fund critical research and public health initiatives promoting physical activity—will remain open and funded at their current levels. This ensures uninterrupted support for ongoing grants and programs through the early winter.
OMB’s Uniform Guidance Overhaul on Pause
While the primary focus of the FY 2027 CR was averting an October 1 government shutdown, the legislation contained a quiet but highly consequential victory for the federal research and higher education communities. Section 157 of the CR places a temporary but strict prohibition on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from finalizing or implementing its proposed overhaul of the Uniform Guidance rules through December 11, 2026.
For researchers, academic institutions, and organizations receiving federal financial assistance, this pause avoids what many feared would be a chaotic disruption to the grant management ecosystem.
The Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200) serves as the foundational rulebook for federal grantmaking, governing everything from overhead cost recovery to audit requirements. While the framework is periodically updated, the sweeping revisions proposed by the OMB and more than 40 federal grantmaking agencies on May 29, 2026, represented a fundamental shift.
Unlike routine administrative updates, the May 2026 proposal sought to reclassify the Uniform Guidance from “guidance” into a binding, government-wide “regulation.” The proposed overhaul was designed to codify a series of 2025 executive orders regarding federal grantmaking oversight. It introduced substantial structural changes to how agencies award and manage grants, bypassing the traditional requirement for individual agencies to conduct their own rulemaking when implementing OMB updates.
By freezing the proposed rule, Congress has ensured that existing awards, as well as any new or continuation grants issued during the CR period, will continue to be governed by the current Uniform Guidance framework.
For now, grant-funded researchers and administrative offices must use this reprieve strategically. The OMB is legally barred from moving forward with the proposal or any “substantially similar rule” before December 11.
Congress now faces the challenge of negotiating the 12 regular appropriations bills for FY 2027. The primary question moving forward is whether lawmakers will be able to resolve their differences and pass a comprehensive omnibus spending package during the post-election lame-duck session, or if they will need to rely on further short-term funding measures extending into the new year.
ACSM will continue to closely monitor the appropriations process on Capitol Hill, advocating to ensure that federal support for physical activity policy, health initiatives, and research remains a priority in the final FY 2027 funding agreements.
