Legislative Services

Federal Appropriations Update: Key Wins for Counties

House lawmakers advanced several major funding bills with big implications for counties. The proposed Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act includes more than $250 million for economic development and broadband initiatives that support local infrastructure and job creation.

Meanwhile, the House-passed Homeland Security Appropriations Act provides $20.3 billion for disaster relief and emergency management, a key resource for counties responding to floods, fires and other emergencies. A separate bill to reform FEMA (H.R. 4669) would elevate the agency to cabinet level and make it easier for counties to access disaster aid.

Together, these efforts signal a strong federal focus on public safety, infrastructure and local preparedness.

At the same time, Congress is navigating short-term funding challenges. On Sept. 19, the House narrowly approved a stopgap funding bill (H.R. 5371) by a vote of 217–212 to extend government funding at current levels from Sept. 20 to Nov. 21. The measure stalled in the Senate, where Democrats are pushing for health care-related concessions including extensions of Affordable Care Act premium subsidies and reversal of Medicaid cuts from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

With Congress in recess until Monday, lawmakers face a tight deadline to reach agreement before funding expires at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday. We will continue monitoring both the appropriations process and ongoing negotiations.

Stay Informed

• Inside Washington. The National Association of Counties’ Government Affairs team hosts biweekly webinars on federal policies affecting counties. Watch the latest session on demand and view the schedule of upcoming webinars.
• County Countdown. NACo’s County Countdown video series highlights top federal policy priorities through the lens of counties and their intergovernmental partnerships. Watch the latest edition.

For more information about federal matters, please contact William Chapman.