On December 27, 2020, President Trump signed the FY2021 Omnibus and COVID Relief and Response Act into law (P.L. 116-260). It provides funding for all agencies and departments through the remainder of Fiscal Year 2021.

In a statement following its signature into law, FMA National President Craig Carter said, “FMA reminds Congress that delaying appropriations and flirting with government shutdowns results in egregious costs and waste, even if a shutdown is averted. It takes significant time and resources for agencies to prepare for a potential shutdown when they should be fulfilling agency missions. Efficient government requires the ability to plan for the future and function without unnecessary interruption. FMA implores the next Congress to bring an end to the current pattern of costly and unnecessary CR’s and destructive government shutdowns.”

As we reported last month, the final funding bill stayed silent on a pay raise for 2021, which paved the way for a 1 percent raise, as included in President Trump’s alternative pay plan. This came despite an effort by the Senate for a pay freeze. While 1% was the best possible this year, it is clearly insufficient. We anticipate working with Representative Gerry Connolly and Senator Brian Schatz, along with our other allies in Congress, to provide federal employees with a reasonable pay raise in 2022 through the next iteration of the FAIR Act.

The package also included long-negotiated relief related to the Covid-19 pandemic. The package includes $600 relief checks for every adult and child earning up to $75,000 (and smaller checks for those earning between $75,000 and $87,000), extended enhanced unemployment benefits, rental assistance, Paycheck Protection Program Loans, and approximately $68 billion to purchase and distribute Covid-19 vaccines.