Congress Returns to Crowded Agenda After August Recess

After a month-long recess, House and Senate lawmakers are back in Washington this week with a crowded agenda. At the top of the list is preventing a government shutdown, as current funding for fiscal year 2025 expires on October 1.  

Funding negotiations are expected to be particularly challenging this year, as Democrats remain wary after Republicans pushed through a $9 billion funding rescissions package in July. The White House is now pursuing an additional $4.9 billion cut to funds for the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) through a so-called “pocket rescission” – a controversial maneuver that bypasses congressional approval. 

Aside from the funding discussions, several other major deadlines loom in the coming months: 

• Farm Bill: While some agricultural provisions were addressed in this summer’s budget reconciliation package, many core programs still require congressional action. Lawmakers must either extend or reauthorize the Farm Bill by September 30 to avoid disruptions. 
• Defense Authorization: Congress will also take up the annual NDAA, which sets military policy and authorizes funding levels for the Pentagon. The Senate will take a procedural vote today, while the House is set to consider its version of the bill next week. 
• National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP): After years of short-term extensions, the NFIP is once again set to expire on September 30. Without congressional action, the program could lapse, creating uncertainty for homeowners, communities, and real estate markets nationwide. 
• Health Care Extenders: Congress faces pressure to extend telehealth flexibilities, community health center funding, and other programs. The thorniest debate may be over enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, which are set to expire at year’s end. 

Beyond the immediate deadlines, several broader policy issues are also gaining momentum: 

• Permitting Reform: Members of both parties have expressed interest in updating federal permitting laws. 
• FEMA Reform: This week, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee advanced a sweeping reform package aimed at modernizing the agency and improving funding and disaster response. Read more on FEMA reform here.
• Surface Transportation: While current surface transportation programs do not expire until September 30, 2026, committee leaders are beginning early discussions to prepare for the next major reauthorization. 
• Artificial Intelligence (AI): A handful of senators are pushing competing proposals to establish federal standards for regulating AI companies. 

USDA Seeks Public Input on USFS Roadless Rule

Last week, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced plans to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement  (EIS) on rescinding the USDA Forest Service Roadless Rule. The Rule, which was finalized in 2001, prohibits road construction, reconstruction, and timber harvest on nearly 59 million acres of national forest system lands. The public comment period is open through September 19. 

Bipartisan Bills Aim to Boost Rural Public Lands Counties 

Senators Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Steve Daines (R-MT) recently introduced two bills that aim to make rural communities in public lands counties more competitive for key federal funding opportunities. 

The More Opportunities for Rural Economies (MORE) USDA Grants Act (S. S. 2618) would expand access to USDA programs, while the MORE DOT Grants Act (S 2619) focuses on transportation-related opportunities. 

Both bills center on establishing a new statutory definition of High Density Public Lands Counties (HDPLCs), defined as counties with fewer than 100,000 residents and more than 50 percent of their land managed by the federal government. 

For these counties, the proposals would reduce local match requirements for certain federal grants; expand technical assistance; and, prioritize funding for local governments that have not previously received awards under covered programs. 

Sens. Schiff, Curtis Urge USDA to Increase Red Cards at USFS 

Senators Adam Schiff (D-CA) and John Curtis (R-UT) recently sent a bipartisan letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins urging the department to strengthen the U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS) firefighting capacity ahead of peak wildfire season. 

The lawmakers specifically called on USDA to increase the number of Incident Qualification Cards, known as “Red Cards”. Red cards are issued to USFS staff who complete the required training, experience, and physical fitness test to respond to wildfire incidents outside their full-time jobs. 

Schiff and Curtis raised concerns that staffing shortages and limited credentialing are hampering the FS’s ability to meet the growing demand for wildfire response. They argued that expanding Red Card issuance would strengthen federal capacity and improve coordination with state and local partners as longer fire seasons continue to strain resources. 

USDA Extends Comment Period on Department Reorganization 

USDA recently extended the public comment period on the administration’s proposed reorganization of the department. The plan, which was released for public comment on July 24, calls for relocating much of USDA’s Washington-area workforce to five regional hubs across the country (Raleigh, NC; Kansas City, MO; Indianapolis, IN; Fort Collins, CO; and, Salt Lake City, UT). While the comment period was set to end on August 31, it will now remain open until September 30, giving stakeholders additional time to weigh in. 

While supporters of the plan argue that shifting staff closer to agricultural regions could improve service delivery and responsiveness to local needs, critics counter that such a move could undermine USDA’s ability to coordinate with policymakers, lead to staff attrition, and disrupt programs that depend on close federal oversight. 

For their part, Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) and 14 other Senate Democrats recently sent a letter to USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden urging the agency to ensure a transparent and open process for collecting feedback. The senators specifically requested a minimum 60-day comment period to allow stakeholders sufficient time to evaluate and respond to the proposal.