The White House report on budget sequestration last week makes it clear the ability of America's biomedical research ecosystem to function will be decided not in the upcoming presidential election, but in the lame duck congressional session that will follow.

Legislation will be needed to avert or limit deep mandatory budget cuts at FDA that would occur if budget sequestration goes into effect, and to reverse unintended cuts imposed in a temporary spending bill that is scheduled to go into effect on Oct. 1.