If ever there were a time to ensure the Food and Drug Administration could continue performing its most basic duties, now, amid two public health crises, would be it.

Democrats don’t appear to see things that way. With just days to go before a Sept. 30 deadline, they’ve effectively blocked the reauthorization of a critical FDA funding bill in an attempt to lard it up with some of their long-standing, and ill-advised, policy priorities. At issue is the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, or PDUFA, which allows the FDA to collect various fees from drug manufacturers. The revenue helps the agency hire staff dedicated to reviewing drug applications.