As RRC was going to press, federal agencies were turning the lights back on after Congress voted on Jan. 22 to provide appropriations and end a three-day partial shutdown, the nation’s first since the 16-day closure in 2013. Even a short shutdown can wreak havoc, as agencies are not permitted during a furlough to act on awards. Some government-run and supported labs and research centers had scrambled to protect the animals and human subjects under their care. But the funding future remains unsettled. The law that resumed federal appropriations only provides funding until Feb. 8 and at 2017 levels. The House will only be in session for six days before funding runs out, raising the possibility of yet another shutdown.