County Countdown – February 25, 2025
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Every other week, NACo's County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership.
Budget reconciliation moves forward
The House and Senate are pursuing their contrasting reconciliation bills to pass President Trump's legislative agenda. The reconciliation process is a unique tool that allows legislation to pass with a simple majority—potentially accelerating county-related policy changes.
- House vs. Senate: The House is pursuing a single sweeping bill covering border security, defense, energy, tax policies and spending cuts, while the Senate is taking a two-step approach focused first on defense and immigration.
- County impact: Large cuts to Medicaid and other county-administered social service programs, as well as the elimination of the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds, are all at stake.
- Call to action: NACo urges county leaders to engage with Congress to safeguard local priorities.
FY 2025 funding deadline approaches
With less than four weeks until the March 14 funding deadline, Congress remains deadlocked over top-line spending levels.
- Conversations continue ahead of the funding deadline: Appropriators have been working to strike a spending deal for weeks, with hopes of crafting the 12 annual funding bills that could make it out of both chambers with bipartisan support.
- Broader debates: Beyond federal funding, lawmakers continue to discuss other key county priorities including disaster relief funding, reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program and more.
- Why it matters to counties: Local governments advocate for continuity of government and long-term certainty around funding to avoid disruptions to vital community services.
White House seeks input on artificial intelligence (AI) policy
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy is developing a national AI Action Plan and invites public input to shape responsible AI governance.
- County priorities in AI: Counties advocate for strong guardrails to ensure AI fosters innovation while safeguarding public trust.
- Get up to speed: NACo’s 2025 AI Policy Priorities Primer highlights considerations for counties.
Counties push back on Medicaid cuts
NACo, alongside other state and local government organizations, is urging Congress to reconsider proposed Medicaid financing changes that could strain local budgets and reduce healthcare coverage.
- Vital partnership: Medicaid supports over 70 million Americans through a federal-state-local collaboration.
- Potential risks: Proposed cuts could reduce coverage, increase medical debt and burden county healthcare systems.
- County advocacy: Local governments are calling to preserve Medicaid’s flexibility to maintain community health services.
First 100 days membership series continues
NACo’s ongoing membership series offers weekly updates on the Trump administration’s first 100 days, focusing on policies directly impacting counties.
- Policy deep dives: Topics include the federal funding freeze, regulatory changes and intergovernmental partnerships.
- Stay engaged: Are you coming to Washington for NACo's Legislative Conference March 1-4? Attend the in-person session of our first 100 days series.
- Catch up: Catch up on previous first 100 days webinars and save the page to sign up for future events.
U.S. Congress begins work on budget reconciliation process: What this means for counties
The House and Senate Budget Committees have marked up Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 budget resolutions to initiate the budget reconciliation process to enact policy priorities without garnering bipartisan support, although the two chambers differ in their approach to drafting the legislation.
2025 Appropriations Tracker
The NACo 2025 Appropriations Tracker provides counties with a comprehensive overview of the federal appropriations process, tracking the progress of key spending bills and offering insights on how these will impact county funding and services.
NACo Submits Comments to the White House on Development of a National AI Action Plan
On February 6, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy announced its first steps towards creating an Artificial Intelligence Action Plan by seeking public comments on what priority policy action items should be implemented at the national level.
State and Local Government Organizations Express Concern Over Proposed Changes to Medicaid Financing and Requirements
NACo, NLC, NCSL, USCM, CSG and ICMA emphasize the impact of policy changes to eligibility requirements and financing of Medicaid.
NACo Membership Series: First 100 Days
Join NACo's membership series focusing on timely updates and analysis on key developments during the first 100 days of the Trump administration. These calls will focus on policies and actions that directly impact counties, including federal funding, regulations and intergovernmental partnerships.
Related News
FCC considers preemption of local authorities in broadband permitting process
Counties are partners in broadband deployment efforts – not barriers – and pursuing one-size-fits-all regulations will further burden progress towards closing the digital divide
Senate passes bill to fund the government through December 11 and delay OMB Rule
The U.S. Senate passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) to extend government funding through December 11 and delay the OMB proposed rule on Unform Guidance that governs how every federal grant can be administered.
Upcoming Events
Ready for November: Make Every Week Count
Want to make the most of the weeks leading up to the midterm elections and wondering what additional steps could strengthen your county's readiness? Whether you're refining existing plans or identifying where to focus next, this webinar will help you prioritize practical, high-impact actions you can take before November.
Join the Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL) for a conversation perfect for county IT professionals, emergency managers, and election administrators. You'll hear from election security experts who will share practical approaches to scenario planning, cross-functional coordination, and operational preparedness that can be implemented in the months and weeks leading up to Election Day.
The session will focus on what counties can realistically accomplish with the time, staff, and infrastructure you already have while highlighting additional tools, perspectives, and publicly available resources from trusted partners. You'll leave with actionable next steps to strengthen your county's election security and readiness before November 3rd.
Doing More With Less: How Counties Can Successfully Address Behavioral Health Crisis Response Needs
Join Bamboo Health for a practical discussion on strategies county health departments can use to maximize resources and improve care outcomes.
Funding Your Future: Mapping County Technology to Grant Opportunities
Ready to turn your communications modernization plans into funded reality? This webinar provides a practical roadmap for aligning technology initiatives with available grant funding in justice reform, rural health, mental health, and public safety.
We will share firsthand experience navigating the funding landscape and successfully securing support for technology investments and break down specific funding sources and demonstrates how to position Zoom solutions within grant applications.