President Joe Biden signed a stopgap funding bill into law on Dec. 21, securing government funding through mid-March and averting a potential shutdown.
“This agreement represents a compromise, which means neither side got everything it wanted,” Biden said in a statement. “But it rejects the accelerated pathway to a tax cut for billionaires that Republicans sought, and it ensures the government can continue to operate at full capacity.”
The 118-page continuing resolution (CR), passed in the Senate by an overwhelming 85-11 vote, includes $110 billion in disaster relief, $31 billion in economic and disaster assistance for agriculture and a one-year extension of the 2018 Farm Bill. The House approved the measure with a bipartisan vote of 366-34, though all dissenting votes came from Republicans.
Ag assistance
The bill allocates $30.78 billion to address agricultural and disaster-related challenges across the U.S. The funds will cover losses in revenue, quality and production of crops—including milk, stored commodities and wine grapes—caused by events like droughts, wildfires, hurricanes and excessive moisture in 2023 and 2024. Additionally, $2 billion is designated to assist livestock producers for losses incurred due to droughts, wildfires and floods.
Funding under the bill includes $220 million in block grants for states with small farming populations to address crop, timber and livestock losses, and $10 billion in economic assistance for agricultural producers. The bill also dedicates $30 million to reimburse crop insurance administrative costs for the 2022 and 2023 reinsurance years.
In addition to direct agricultural support, the legislation provides $920 million for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program, $828 million for the Emergency Conservation Program and $356.5 million for the Emergency Forest Restoration Program. These programs aim to restore damaged land, protect watersheds and assist forest landowners. The Rural Development Disaster Assistance Fund will receive $362.5 million to bolster disaster recovery efforts in rural areas.
The CR also ensures that key provisions of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the 2018 Farm Bill) will remain in effect through Sept. 30, 2025.
The extension covers programs addressing crop and livestock support, conservation, rural development and nutrition assistance. Programs funded by discretionary appropriations will still depend on budget availability. For commodity programs, rules and support levels for crops like wheat, cotton, sugarcane, and dairy programs like the Dairy Margin Coverage, have been updated to extend through 2025. Additional updates include trade and research programs, such as maintaining federal oversight of the Grazinglands Research Laboratory in Oklahoma through 2025.
Other highlights
The CR includes several key agricultural and rural development provisions aimed at addressing the aftermath of natural disasters and supporting critical infrastructure:
• Upholds key provisions like prohibiting sage grouse listings under the Endangered Species Act and restricting greenhouse gas reporting requirements, according to the Public Lands Council.
• Allocates funding for water and infrastructure, including $74.5 million for the Bureau of Reclamation’s water and related resources, with $46.5 million dedicated to the Aging Infrastructure Account for repairs following critical failures. It also includes $1.5 billion for disaster rehabilitation, risk reduction studies and water infrastructure improvements by the Corps of Engineers and $3.1 billion for upgrading drinking water and wastewater systems.
• Includes funding for disaster repair on public lands, including $58.1 million to the Bureau of Land Management, $500 million to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, $6 billion for national forest road and facility repairs and $2.3 billion for national parks to repair roads, facilities and historic structures in disaster-impacted areas.
Third time’s the charm
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA-04) initially introduced a 1,547-page CR negotiated with Democratic leaders. The plan was quickly derailed after President-elect Donald Trump and ally Elon Musk criticized it for including billions of dollars in what they called “Democrat wishlist items.”
In response, Johnson worked with Trump’s team to release a scaled-down 116-page CR, which stripped most Democratic demands and included Trump’s requested two-year debt ceiling suspension. However, this new proposal sparked significant backlash from Democrats and some Republicans, leading to its failure when it fell far short of the required two-thirds majority.
On the last day before a government shutdown, Johnson introduced a third CR, omitting the debt ceiling suspension. The final deal, scaled back but more broadly acceptable, gained overwhelming bipartisan support, passing the House and clearing the Senate. — Charles Wallace, WLJ contributing editor
