Status: Approved – Government spending agreement reached

The federal government came to a short-term spending agreement Sept. 23.  

The bill will fund federal agencies for roughly three months, preventing a potential partial government shutdown as the new budget year starts on Oct. 1, and delaying final budget decisions until after the November election. 

While temporary spending bills usually keep agency funding at current levels, this agreement includes an additional $231 million to enhance the Secret Service following two assassination attempts on Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Additional funds were also allocated to support the presidential transition and other initiatives. 

For the irrigation industry, this is a good thing, says Nathan Bowen, vice president of policy and industry advancement at the Irrigation Association. 

“Stable federal funding is vital for the irrigation industry,” says Bowen. “Ensuring that payments are made on time and that agencies remain staffed at their current levels is critical to maintaining the flow of vital programs that support water infrastructure, conservation and agricultural operations. A government shutdown, on the other hand, creates uncertainty and delays that can disrupt projects, slow down permitting processes and impact critical services across the board. This temporary funding measure ensures the continuity of essential services and allows our industry to keep moving forward without the disruption a government shutdown would have caused.” 

President Joe Biden signed the funding bill into law Sept. 26.