BLUF: Defense Stopgap

As all of you know and are tracking, Washington officially ended the longest shutdown in U.S. history yesterday. But beyond the headlines, we thought it might be helpful to do a quick overview of what the stopgap funding bill actually provides and what it means for the next few months. Most importantly to those of us writing this week’s BLUF, included in the bill was critical fiscal relief for key federal agencies that helps to restore operational stability to programs that underpin America’s national defense, foreign policy, and domestic resilience.

So what exactly is in this funding bill? The legislation funds the Pentagon’s infrastructure projects, Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Agriculture and the legislative branch through Fiscal Year 2026. Meaning, these appropriations bills will keep those entities functioning until October 1, 2026. But the remainder of the federal government will require an additional continuing resolution to receive funding past January 30th.

While far from a full solution, this agreement represents a meaningful step toward restoring bipartisan cooperation and reinforcing confidence in America’s ability to govern itself.  From maintaining readiness across the Armed Forces, to ensuring veterans receive uninterrupted care, to safeguarding the food supply that sustains our nation and its warfighters, this funding is essential to Americans security and long-term strategic posture. 

But the end of the shutdown doesn’t mean everything seamlessly picks up right where we left off. Unfortunately, situations like this create uncertainty and oftentimes delays modernization programs, disrupts supply chains, and temporarily constrains an agency’s ability to counter  threats from China, Russia, Iran, and other adversaries.

For the national security community, this whole shutdown drama is a difficult reminder that the government’s fiscal stability is strategic stability.

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