Dear Friends:
The first session of the 119th Congress is almost over, and Congress is limping toward the finish line. The National Defense Authorization Act is the only major legislation that currently appears to be on a glide path to passage (keeping its 65-year streak intact). The outlook is far murkier for any action on Affordable Care Ace subsidies, with last-minute negotiating in both chambers unlikely to lead anywhere until at least next year. And while there’s still a glimmer of hope that an appropriations “minibus” could pass the Senate this week, it’s already clear that the January 30 funding deadline will be nearly impossible to meet without another Continuing Resolution – or a shutdown.
This month, we’re pleased to feature an article from Dr. Adriana Bankston, who recently completed a year-long Capitol Hill fellowship through the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) / American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT). Adriana shares key context on the importance of America’s science infrastructure, along with her first-hand insights into congressional support for federal science institutions, research funding and workforce development.
As you think about your training needs for 2026, don’t forget to check our calendar, which features lots of open-enrollment options. In particular, we hope you’ll join us for our online Congressional Update on February 10. This one-day class is a great way to get up to speed on Congress – from major legislative and oversight priorities to the appropriations outlook and upcoming midterms. We’re also delighted to take this class on the road, if you’re interested in a half-day version tailored to your agency or office. Just email me.
I also encourage you to check out two recent episodes of our podcast, “Congress: Two Beers In.” The first features Matt and Josh chatting about the current state of the Senate with expert James Wallner. The second is a lovely send-off to Mark Harkins, who has announced his retirement from GAI after more than a dozen years as a Senior Fellow. Mark has been a critical member of our team and has surely interacted with most of you during his tenure. While you’ll still see him on GAI programs, we’ll deeply miss having him around every day and wish him a wonderful retirement.
As a challenging 2025 comes to a close, all of us at GAI are so grateful for the opportunity to work with thousands of dedicated and inspiring federal employees every year, as well as our many wonderful partners on and off the Hill. Thanks for all you do, and we hope you have the happiest of holidays.
Best,
Kristin
