County Countdown – February 25, 2025

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.