NASA and other science-oriented federal agencies were closed for more than six weeks as lawmakers wrangled.Credit: Anda Chu/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News/Getty
The historic shutdown of the US government, which shuttered science agencies, halted grant operations and left tens of thousands of federal scientists without paychecks, ended on 12 November after lasting a record-breaking 43 days. A deal approved by Congress and signed by US President Donald Trump funds most government agencies through to 30 January. Science advocates expressed hope that Congress will use the intervening time to finalize research budgets for the 2026 fiscal year — which could help to ward off massive cuts proposed by the Trump administration.
The shutdown began on 1 October due in part to a Congressional dispute over federal spending on health care. Most work ground to a halt, including activities related to the issuing of federal research grants. That work will now restart. Under the terms of the deal, federal scientists will be paid what they would have earned during the furlough, and those who were laid off will be rehired — at least for now.
The prospective ramp-up of activities after such a long hiatus has been welcomed by science-advocacy groups. Any interruption in science activities slows research and innovation that bolsters the US economy, national security and public health, says Joanne Carney, chief government-relations officer for the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington DC. “We’re in a global competition, and we cannot wait any longer.”
The White House did not respond to Nature’s request for comment.
Here Nature looks at what comes next for science as the US government reopens for business.
How quickly will science agencies get back to work — especially on grant activity?
During the shutdown, scientists whose activities were considered essential, such as the ‘hurricane hunters’ who collect data by flying into storms, kept working, though without pay. Other research activities also continued. NASA’s Mars rovers, for example, continued to operate through the shutdown, funded in advance by contracts run by non-federal workers who were not affected by the lapse in Congressional funding.
But activities deemed non-essential, such as review of research grant proposals, stopped. Now that the government has reopened, programme officers will reschedule such reviews.
Trump moves to slash NSF: why are the proposed budget cuts so big?
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