Despite the fact that we’re now 7 weeks into fiscal year 2012 the budget for 2012 that impacts FX research and programming (CDC, NIH, DOD) remains unfinished. There was a slim chance that it would wrap up before Thanksgiving but slim (and Congress) just left town for the holiday. The budget process will ramp up big-time when Congress returns from the turkey day break and will continue (probably right up to the brink of the Christmas holiday). We will closely monitor events as they unfold and we will have an Action Alert for everyone to participate in. Watch for it around the end of the month. A new ABLE Act (financial savings for individuals and families with disabilities through a new 529 Plan) was also introduced earlier this week, you can view the House Bill. It just might be the kind of non controversial good idea that both parties could rally around and actually pass and so the upcoming Action Alert will also have an opportunity for everyone to weigh in on this as well. We posted more information on the ABLE Act of 2011 last week. Once we finish with the budget for 2012 we’ll jump immediately into the process to craft a budget for 2013 (that’s what we’ll be advocating for on Advocacy Day on March 6-7, 2012). With the Super Committee’s plans for deficit reduction or mandatory sequestration (cuts) still looming large we really need a huge crowd to turn out for Advocacy Day. If you’ve attended before don’t even think about missing this one. If you’ve never attended, make this year your first. Check out our Advocacy Day section of our site for full details and information on how to register.