County Countdown – March 25, 2025
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Every other week, NACo's County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership.
Congress averts a government shutdown
On March 14, the U.S. Senate passed the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2025 (H.R. 1968) to extend government funding through September 30, 2025, following the U.S. House’s passage on March 11.
- Funding levels: The measure maintains FY 2024 funding levels into FY 2025, setting discretionary spending at $1.6 trillion, with defense funding at $893 billion and non-defense funding at $708 billion, in line with the Fiscal Responsibility Act’s caps.
- Key programs: This continuing resolution also includes program extensions and funding, such as TANF, NFIP, FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund, WIC and election security grants.
- County advocacy: Counties urge Congress to enact final FY 2026 appropriations by September 30, 2025, to avoid further disruptions and provide budgetary certainty for local governments.
Budget reconciliation negotiations
Negotiations between the U.S. House and Senate on a potential reconciliation package are ongoing, with significant proposals still on the table.
- Medicaid: Among the items under discussion are reforms to Medicaid that could impact local health and human services.
- Municipal bonds: Proposals to eliminate the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds – a critical tool counties rely on to finance infrastructure and essential services – are also being discussed.
- Take action: Contact your U.S. senators and representatives and advocate strongly to safeguard these vital programs and preserve the financial tools that support local communities and economies.
EPA announces a rollback of environmental regulations
The Environmental Protection Agency announced plans to roll back more than two dozen rules and policies. Chief among the rules included is Waters of the U.S., or WOTUS, a phrase used in the Clean Water Act to determine which waters are subject to federal jurisdiction.
- WOTUS: The definition of WOTUS directly impacts counties as owners and operators of water infrastructure. The Trump administration is seeking to implement a 2023 Supreme Court ruling that narrowed the scope of the Clean Water Act to limit jurisdiction over wetlands to those with a continuous surface connection to jurisdictional waters and not wetlands adjacent to a jurisdictional water.
- Other regulations: Other regulations under revision include those related to power plant emissions, vehicle emission standards and greenhouse gas findings.
- County impact: Counties could face increased challenges in maintaining clean air, safe drinking water and resilient ecosystems. The rollback of these federal standards may also shift greater responsibility and potential costs onto county governments as they work to fill regulatory gaps.
New White House executive order on natural disasters
On March 18, President Trump signed a new executive order that focuses on empowering state and local governments when it comes to disaster preparedness and infrastructure.
- What’s in the order: The order calls for the development of a National Resilience Strategy, the streamlining of federal policies on critical infrastructure, continuity of government and emergency response and the creation of a National Risk Register to better inform investments.
- Potential implications: For counties, this could mean increased authority—and responsibility—in managing things like wildfires, cyber threats and extreme weather events, while also requiring us to strengthen our capacity to plan, invest and coordinate disaster resilience efforts with reduced direct federal involvement.
- More from NACo: The NACo Intergovernmental Disaster Reform Task Force was launched in November 2024 to strengthen our nation's disaster mitigation, response and recovery capabilities.
NACo's first 100 days membership series
NACo’s ongoing membership series offers weekly updates on the Trump administration and Congress’ first 100 days, focusing on policies directly impacting counties.
- Each week: NACo’s government affairs team dives into policies and actions that directly impact counties, including federal funding, regulations and intergovernmental partnerships.
- This week: Join us this Thursday, March 27 at 3:00 p.m. EDT.
- Full schedule: View the full schedule and watch recordings from past weeks here.
Congress passes “full-year” Continuing Resolution through September 30, 2025
On March 14, the U.S. Senate voted to pass the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2025 to further extend appropriations and avert a government shutdown through the end of Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 on September 30.
U.S. Congress begins work on budget reconciliation process: What this means for counties
The House and Senate Budget Committees have marked up Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 budget resolutions to initiate the budget reconciliation process to enact policy priorities without garnering bipartisan support, although the two chambers differ in their approach to drafting the legislation.
NACo Regulatory Analysis: The Waters of the United States
The definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS) directly impacts county governments as owners and operators of local infrastructure.
White House signs executive order examining state and local preparedness
On March 18, President Trump signed an Executive Order aimed at aligning federal preparedness and response doctrines, while examining state and local preparedness capabilities. The order does not shift any responsibilities or costs to state and local governments, rather producing a set of recommendations for better collaboration across all levels of government.
NACo Membership Series: First 100 Days
Join NACo's membership series focusing on timely updates and analysis on key developments during the first 100 days of the Trump administration. These calls will focus on policies and actions that directly impact counties, including federal funding, regulations and intergovernmental partnerships.
County Countdown – October 6, 2025
Every other week, NACo's County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership. This week features a federal shutdown FAQ, overdose prevention funding and more.
DOI, DOE and the EPA announce new funding and regulatory measures to support U.S. coal industry
On September 29, the U.S. Departments of the Interior (DOI), Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced coordinated actions to expand domestic coal production and coal-fired energy generation.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announces it will uphold 2024 PFAS CERCLA rule
On September 17, the EPA announced that the agency will uphold the 2024 rule designating two types of PFAS as hazardous under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.
DOI announces millions for multiple wetlands conservation programs
On September 18, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) announced $54 million in land acquisitions for waterfowl habitat conservation through a program administered by the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission. The conservation actions add onto an August 4 announcement of $102.9 million in grant-based funding under a separate program administered by the Commission for the conservation of critical wetlands ecosystems and migratory bird habitat through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act.
County Countdown – September 22, 2025
Every other week, NACo's County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership. This week features a short-term funding bill introduced to avert shutdown, new Rural Health Transformation Program and more.
House Natural Resources Committee advances reauthorization legislation for NOAA’s Digital Coast program
On September 17, the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee unanimously passed the bipartisan Digital Coast Reauthorization Act, which would reauthorize the Digital Coast program through 2030.
Inside Washington: County Impacts from the White House & Congress, October 16
Join NACo’s Government Affairs team for week ten of a biweekly series on key developments from the White House and Congress. Discussions will focus on policies and actions that directly impact counties — from federal funding and regulatory changes to intergovernmental partnerships. Tune in for an inside look at how these evolving federal dynamics may shape county priorities, responsibilities and operations.
GoFundMe’s Crisis Response Playbook: Trusted Solutions for Counties
This webinar will showcase how GoFundMe serves as a trusted partner for counties and communities in times of crisis.
Inside Washington: County Impacts from the White House & Congress, October 30
Join NACo’s Government Affairs team for week eleven of a biweekly series on key developments from the White House and Congress. Discussions will focus on policies and actions that directly impact counties — from federal funding and regulatory changes to intergovernmental partnerships. Tune in for an inside look at how these evolving federal dynamics may shape county priorities, responsibilities and operations.
Modern Networks, Smarter Budgets: A County Leader’s Perspective
Join us for a fireside chat with Orleans County, NY, as they share how their team successfully transitioned from a traditional capital expense (CapEx) model to an operational expense (OpEx) model for network services.
When faced with rising maintenance costs and an expiring carrier contract, the county seized the opportunity to modernize its network and lock in predictable monthly costs. By bundling connectivity services with unified communications, they achieved immediate savings of over $124,000, eliminated recurring charges such as long-distance fees and third-party integration costs, and gained access to operational upgrades like call analytics and auto-attendants.
This shift not only strengthened financial planning through fixed monthly expenses but also freed up IT staff to focus on strategic initiatives.
Key takeaway: Rethinking your budget model can be just as impactful as upgrading your technology — delivering fiscal stability and enhanced services for your community.
Inside Washington: County Impacts from the White House & Congress, November 13
Join NACo’s Government Affairs team for week twelve of a biweekly series on key developments from the White House and Congress. Discussions will focus on policies and actions that directly impact counties — from federal funding and regulatory changes to intergovernmental partnerships. Tune in for an inside look at how these evolving federal dynamics may shape county priorities, responsibilities and operations.
Inside Washington: County Impacts from the White House & Congress, December 11
Join NACo’s Government Affairs team for week thirteen of a biweekly series on key developments from the White House and Congress. Discussions will focus on policies and actions that directly impact counties — from federal funding and regulatory changes to intergovernmental partnerships. Tune in for an inside look at how these evolving federal dynamics may shape county priorities, responsibilities and operations.
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