U.S. Congress passes minibus funding package

Key Takeaways

On January 15, the U.S. Senate passed a "minibus" appropriations package by a vote of 82-15, after the U.S. House passed the bill on January 8 by a vote of 397-28. The minibus contains Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Interior-Environment, Commerce-Justice-Science and Energy-Water spending bills and would provide funding through September 30, the end of Fiscal Year 2026.  The federal government is currently funded under a Continuing Resolution, which is set to expire on January 30. The minibus now moves to the president to be signed.

The minibus includes key priorities for counties, including appropriations related to public lands, broadband, water infrastructure, justice, and economic development. Counties rely on federal funds determined through the annual appropriations process to provide vital services to our residents. As such, we urge Congress and the President to commit to working together to reach an agreement on all spending legislation by Oct. 1 of each year.  

What is in the minibus?

Department of the Interior (DOI) 

• Fully funds the payments in lieu of taxes (PILT) program, ensuring counties with tax-exempt federal lands have resources to provide essential local government services.
• Does not provide for merging Forest Service and Interior wildland fire operations into a new service, maintaining the current structure for federal wildfire response.
• Prohibits DOI from listing the sage grouse as an endangered species. 

Environmental Protection Agency 

• Provides strong funding for water infrastructure state revolving funds (SRFs), including $1.64 billion for the Clean Water SRF and $1.13 billion for the Drinking Water SRF. An additional $1.6 billion will go to congressionally earmarked projects. 

U.S. Department of Agriculture (Forest Service) 

• Appropriates up to $4.9 billion for wildland fire suppression. 

U.S. Department of Justice  

• Invests in state and local law enforcement capabilities by providing $346 million for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grants, $253 million for the Community Oriented Policing Services Hiring Program, $202 million for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program and $35 million for the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program.  
• Provides $111 million for the Second Chance Act, $86 million for drug courts, $32 million for veteran's treatment courts and $185 million for the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant and Substance Use Disorder Program, ensuring communities have the resources necessary to help reduce recidivism, expand access to treatment and strengthen public safety.  

U.S. Department of Commerce 

• Instructs the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to issue a report to Congress within 30 days on its progress in completing funding rollout of the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program.
• Reaffirms the statutory requirement of a Low Cost Broadband Service Option as a condition of funding under the BEAD Program, as required by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

Economic Development 

• Provides $400 million in funding to the Economic Development Administration to support requested state and local projects.
• Provides $200 million to the Appalachian Regional Commission to support economic development in the region.