America's nearly 40,000 county elected officials and 3.6 million county employees are on the frontlines of the nation's response to the coronavirus pandemic. As the country emerges from the pandemic and grapples with the toll it has taken on our citizens, counties are responding and rebuilding. At the same time, many counties are still confronting significant workforce shortage pressures at a time with growing, critical resident needs.

With American Rescue Plan funds, counties are strengthening America's workforce, addressing the nation's behavioral health crisis, expanding broadband access, improving housing affordability and building prosperous communities for the next generation.

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U.S. Department of Agriculture unveils $700 million for regenerative agriculture  

On December 10, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced the launch of a $700 million pilot program to support regenerative agriculture practices across the country.

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Counties Celebrate Passage of Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act

Over 700 counties to receive essential resources supporting education, transportation, public safety

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Advocacy

Congress passes Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025 in victory for counties

In a major victory for counties, Congress passed the bipartisan Secure Rural Schools (SRS) Reauthorization Act of 2025 (S. 356) on December 9. The bill provides payments to counties for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 and FY 2025 and reauthorizes the SRS program through the end of FY 2026, and delivers critical relief to timber-dependent counties that rely on these funds to maintain essential services and transition toward long-term fiscal stability.

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Advocacy

HHS releases rule repealing federal nursing home staffing mandate, supporting county long term care facilities

On December 2, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published an interim final rule that repeals the federal nursing home staffing mandate, a regulation that would have required long-term care facilities to meet strict minimum staffing levels.

Abby Winiker, director of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Overdose Prevention Initiative, highlights ways to stretch opioid dollars. Photo by Charlie Ban
County News

Stretching small opioid settlement allocations helps funding do more

States and localities are set to receive $56 billion in opioid settlement dollars over an 18-year period, but not every county that receives settlement funding will get enough to build out infrastructure.

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Advocacy

Congress passes SUPPORT Act reauthorization

On September 18, the U.S. Senate passed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 (SUPPORT Act Reauthorization) (H.R. 2483) by voice vote, following House passage earlier this year. With strong bipartisan backing in both chambers, the legislation now heads to the President’s desk for signature.