Posts by Marc Sanchez

Shutdown Drags On As the government shutdown enters its fourteenth day, we’re seeing more than delay and backlog: we’re witnessing the stress fractures in the regulatory and public health architecture. The period of “frozen operations” is giving way to structural vulnerabilities—staff reductions, legal challenges, workarounds via emergency funds, and intangible breakdowns in agency networks. Below…

Day 14 Shutdown Update As the shutdown enters its second full week, the effects are shifting from temporary inconvenience to institutional destabilization. Early furloughs and paused programs have now evolved into layoffs, ad hoc funding patches, and mounting uncertainty across public health and regulatory agencies. The situation is no longer just about delay—it is about…

Shutdown Update The federal shutdown has entered its 13th day, and the ripple effects are now extending into unexpected corners of the regulatory and legal ecosystem. While core FDA, USDA, and import operations remain under severe constraint, new litigation and policy tweaks are emerging as additional stress lines for regulated industries. Key Developments Today Litigation…

Shutdown Continues As the government shutdown moves into its twelfth day, scattered but increasingly stark reports of layoffs and staffing reductions are emerging. While few agency-level announcements have been made public, the administration is now executing reduction-in-force plans in multiple departments—amplifying the operational stress that already had agencies operating at a reduced capacity. Reported Layoffs…

Regulatory Shutdown Update With the federal government shutdown now in its tenth day, signs of strain are evident across all regulatory fronts. What began as a temporary freeze has now evolved into a systemwide slowdown that will require weeks—if not months—to unwind. Both FDA and USDA are entering a stage of regulatory fatigue, where limited…

Day 9 Shutdown As the federal government shutdown enters its ninth day, agencies and stakeholders are moving from temporary disruption into sustained constraint. While core public health and safety functions remain active, mounting backlogs, suspended regulatory processes, and deepening data gaps are now defining features of the second week. Industry and agency personnel alike are…

Day 8 Shutdown Update As the government shutdown reaches its eighth day, the immediate disruptions—halted USDA payments, suspended FDA submissions, and trade delays—are now giving way to a broader and more subtle pattern of regulatory slowdown. Beyond the obvious, the shutdown is beginning to affect timelines for rulemaking, enforcement actions, and advisory processes that shape…

Day 7 Shutdown Update As the federal government shutdown enters its second week, what began as a short-term disruption has turned into a sustained operational slowdown across multiple agencies. With Congress still at an impasse, businesses regulated by FDA, USDA, and import authorities are now facing tangible, cascading effects—from delayed payments and data blackouts to…

Day 6 Shutdown Update As the federal shutdown stretches into its sixth day, disruptions are compounding. The longer the lapse continues, the more delay, backlog, and uncertainty we see across FDA, USDA, and import/trade operations. Below is our updated picture—and what your team should be monitoring closely. FDA & Regulatory Operations USDA: Program Suspensions Deepen,…

As the federal government shutdown enters its third day, the regulatory and trade impacts are deepening. While essential food safety, public health, and customs functions continue, clients should be aware of additional service suspensions and operational slowdowns now taking effect across FDA, USDA, and U.S. import operations. FDA: Retained Functions, Shrinking Scope USDA: Payments, Data,…

Day 2 Shutdown As the federal government shutdown enters its second day, more clarity has emerged around the scope of disruptions across FDA, USDA, and import operations. While essential public health and safety functions continue, significant slowdowns and funding freezes are taking hold. FDA USDA Imports & Trade Key Takeaways We will continue to monitor…

FDA Shutdown Bottom line up front: FDA will keep working on carryover user-fee–funded activities and life-safety work, but it cannot accept new user-fee submissions during the shutdown. Import screening at the border continues, though expect delays. Many USDA APHIS Veterinary Services (VS) functions tied to user fees (including animal import/export services) continue; other routine activities…