By @Kyle Packham
The United States House of Representatives remains in a holding pattern following the vacation of the Speaker’s Chair in early October. Meanwhile, bills to ensure reauthorization of several major federal programs and to keep the government open past November 17 remain in question. Currently, Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., as appointed Speaker pro Tempore, has limited power for House direction.
At this time, House committees may continue to conduct business they have before them. However, unless the House elects a Speaker or grants Congressman McHenry greater authority, any newly-introduced legislation cannot be referred, as such referral is a power of a designated and approved or fully-elected Speaker. Congressman Dave Joyce, R-Ohio, has proposed a plan to delegate Congressman McHenry additional powers through January 3, 2024.
Meanwhile, whether the federal government continues to run on a temporary extension of Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 funding, known as a continuing resolution (CR), as opposed to a full package of all 12 appropriations bills to finally allocate FY24 funding for all federal departments and agencies remains a big question depending on the guidance of a new Speaker.
Regardless of the House Speaker saga, the House and U.S. Senate’s FY24 appropriations bills remain more than $119 billion apart in total, meaning appropriators and leaders will need to significantly compromise to move forward.
Aside from keeping federal departments and agencies funded with the Continuing Appropriations Act of 2024 and Other Extensions Act (H.R. 5860), the CR also extends taxing authorities for the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) through December 31. Lapse of FAA authorities would have impacted a broad scope of programs special districts providing passenger and/or cargo aviation services leverage. Finally, the CR also funds another $16 billion in emergency disaster relief for the Federal Emergency Management Agency - $15.5 billion of which covers major disasters declared across the country. Additionally, the CR:
- Extends the National Flood Insurance Program through November 17.
- Ensures the National Telecommunications and Information Administration can continue to administer broadband programs.
- Extends a base salary increase for federal wildland firefighters that was created in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
- Continues authority for U.S Department of Agriculture to provide direct and guaranteed farm loans and maintains funding for Rural Housing Rental Assistance and the Women, Infants, and Children program.
- Does not include military aid to Ukraine to aid in its war efforts against Russia, which was a key sticking point at the time of the bill’s passage.
Farm bill reauthorization is also in waiting. The landmark reauthorization bill authorizes a full range of federal programs from the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Programs (SNAP) to farm insurance to forestry and land management and beyond. Most conservation programs special districts providing resource conservation services leverage are safe from lapsing, as the Inflation Reduction Act reauthorized them through FY31. Otherwise, many Farm Bill-authorized programs, such as Rural Development, will lapse on January 1, 2024. Twenty-one have already lapsed, mostly geared toward research, energy, horticulture, and miscellaneous programs that special districts do not widely access.
The content of this article was contributed by the National Special Districts Coalition (NSDC) of which CSDA is a founding member. NSDC’s Advocacy Team will keep CSDA members updated on developments on these items and more as they warrant. Contact Cole Arreola-Karr, NSDC Federal Advocacy Director, for questions at colek@nationalspeicialdistricts.org.
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