Congress has until December 16, when the current short-term government funding agreement ends, to finalize an FY23 budget or face a government shutdown. We expect Congress will extend the negotiating period until Dec. 23. That way they can complete this year’s budget before the next Congress is sworn in on Jan. 3, 2023. The current gridlock stems from disagreements on top-line annual defense and domestic spending numbers. NACHC sent a letter to House and Senate leaders who will decide on final funding amounts, asking them to use the funding levels that the House Committee approved for Community Health Centers and related primary and workforce programs earlier this year.