NACo sends letter to Congressional leadership asking them to reauthorize or extend key programs

Key Takeaways

On August 12, NACo sent a letter to U.S. House of Representatives and Senate leadership urging them to prioritize reauthorizing or extending federal legislation that supports counties and our ability to provide important services for our residents. 

The specific programs or legislation mentioned in the letter are the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program, surface transportation programs through the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), state revolving funds for clean water and drinking water, the farm bill, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) and the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). Many of these programs are set to expire on September 30, 2026, which would create significant issues for counties across the country.

Read NACo's Letter

Each of these programs provides important funding, technical assistance and/or other resources for counties. Outlined below is how the expiration or lapse of authority for each program would harm counties.

Secure Rural Schools

The SRS program provides revenue-sharing payments to more than 700 counties nationwide with significant amounts of untaxable National Forest System land. The SRS program helps make up for that lost revenue, providing funds that support public schools, road maintenance, emergency response and more. When authorization for the SRS program lapses—as occurred between 2023 and 2025—counties miss out on payments and are required to delay projects. In some cases, counties have had to consider school closures given extreme budget pressures. NACo is calling on Congress to provide a long-term authorization for the SRS program before it expires on September 30, 2026.

Read more about NACo’s advocacy on SRS here.

Surface Transportation Reauthorization:

Surface transportation programs through USDOT were last authorized in 2021 by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA; PL 117-58). This authorization allows USDOT to obligate funding from the Highway Trust Fund and keep road, bridge and transit projects moving forward across the country. A lapse in this authorization would prevent USDOT from signing new grant agreements or obligating funds for new projects, creating a backlog that would disrupt project timelines and drive up costs.

NACo is asking Congress to either pass a new, multi-year reauthorization like the BUILD America 250 Act (H.R. 8870) or extend both the IIJA’s authorizations and the funding included in Division J of the IIJA. This Division J funding was advance appropriated and would not automatically be continued under a normal extension of authorities. Division J funding supports priority programs for counties like the Bridge Formula Program and Safe Streets & Roads for All.

Read more about NACo’s advocacy on surface transportation reauthorization here.

State Revolving Funds:

The Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs) provide below-market-rate financing and grants for local governments to use for infrastructure improvements for water systems. This is especially important for ensuring compliance with federal water quality standards and partially funded and unfunded mandates like lead pipe removal and the remediation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

If this funding is not reauthorized, then counties will lose out on these valuable funding and financing streams, driving up the cost of maintenance and increasing costs for ratepayers. Counties would like to see Congress enact a multi-year reauthorization of the SRFs to maintain robust investment in water infrastructure to support communities nationwide.

Read more about NACo’s advocacy on SRFs reauthorization here.

Farm Bill:

The farm bill authorizes many key programs that support rural counties, including programs funding infrastructure, conservation, nutrition access and more.  The farm bill is also crucial for supporting the agriculture industry, which provides the backbone of many of the more-than-70-percent of counties that are classified as “rural.” Should the farm bill expire, many constituent programs will revert to “permanent law” policies from the 1930s and 1940s, which would have significant, negative impacts on agriculture and rural communities.

NACo is asking Congress to extend the 2018 farm bill to provide certainty and stability for families, counties and farmers while negotiations continue on a new, multi-year farm bill.

Read more about NACo’s advocacy on the Farm Bill here.

National Flood Insurance Program:

The NFIP provides affordable flood insurance to property owners while promoting responsible development and other practices in floodplains. NFIP is crucial for flood-prone counties so that their residents and businesses can be protected financially from the impacts of flooding. If the NFIP authorization expires, the program would not be able to issue new policies, putting homeowners and businesses in a precarious position.

NACo is calling on Congress to enact a long-term reauthorization of NFIP before its expiration on September 30, 2026. Additionally, NACo would like to see Congress advance NFIP reforms to cap premium increases, improve affordability and increase funding for flood mitigation projects.

Read more about NACo’s advocacy on NFIP here.

State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program:

The SLCGP, enacted by the IIJA, provides funding for cybersecurity planning and implementation. Counties have used this funding to augment ongoing cybersecurity efforts and invest in enterprise service acquisition, implementing multifactor authentication and more. Amid rising software costs and cybersecurity insurance premiums due to increasing threats, and with the rapid emergence of new technologies like generative artificial intelligence, this funding is vital for ensuring that counties can stay up to date with their cybersecurity. 

The SLCGP is set to expire with the IIJA on September 30, 2026, and counties are asking Congress to reauthorize the program and ensure commensurate appropriations to maintain program continuity and support cyber readiness.

Read more about NACo’s advocacy on the SLCGP here.

Water Resources Development Act:

WRDA provides authorizations for projects led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), including projects relating to ports, inland waterways, levees, dams and more. Counties often parter with the USACE on the planning, development and funding of projects, as well as operating and maintaining facilities after construction has completed. 

While the previous WRDA—WRDA 2024—does not have an immediate expiration date for its authorities and projects, passing a new WRDA will authorize new projects and studies, while making needed adjustments to existing project authorizations. This will allow counties and the USACE to keep up with a growing list of water infrastructure projects.

Read more about NACo’s advocacy on WRDA here.

Next Steps:

NACo will continue to advocate for the extension or reauthorization of these programs, especially those that are set to expire at the end of September 2026. Similarly, NACo will monitor whatever reauthorization language does come out—either as a standalone piece of legislation or as a piece of a larger package like a continuing resolution—to ensure that no harmful policy changes are made or riders are attached.