House Passes CR; Senate Vote Expected

The House of Representatives has passed a bill to maintain 2024 federal funding levels through the rest of Fiscal Year 2025 by a vote of 217-213. The legislation would avert a funding lapse and government shutdown when the current stopgap expires on Friday, March 14.

The Senate may vote on the measure later this week.

Lawmakers have been unable to agree to a funding package since the start of the new fiscal year in October 2024. A series of “continuing resolutions” has avoided a shutdown. Today’s bill would extend last year’s funding through September 30, 2025, subject to certain adjustments.

A fact sheet from the House Appropriations Committee Republican majority is here.

Democrats opposed the measure, in part because it did not constrain the Trump Administration’s decisions on agency spending or limit actions by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The House Appropriations Committee Democrats’ Fact Sheet is here. The Senate Appropriations Committee Democrats’ Fact Sheet is here.

Among the notable changes to programs of interest to ACEC members:

• Includes the funding increases for highway and transit formula programs under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for FY 2025.

• Includes the funding increases for the Airport Improvement Program under the FAA Reauthorization law enacted last year.

• Adjusts some transportation account levels to remove funding for fiscal year 2024 Community Project Funding / Congressionally Directed Spending (i.e. earmarks); does not impact funding of community projects or congressionally directed spending in fiscal year 2024.

• Army Corps of Engineers projects that manage flood risks, restore ecosystems, and maintain water infrastructure would lose $1.4 billion, a 44 percent reduction.

• Also at risk is $293 million for a swath of bipartisan disaster mitigation projects funded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

• Retains $1.64 billion for capitalization grants for the Clean Water State Revolving Funds and $1.13 billion for capitalization grants for the Drinking Water State Resolving Funds, with no earmarks for specific projects.

If the House bill or some alternative is not enacted before the end of this week, appropriations will lapse and a government shutdown will take effect. If that happens, ACEC will recirculate information and guidance to member firms on how to navigate a shutdown.