Lawmakers Reach Deal to Avert Shutdown (For Now); DOE Gains One Week of Funding

ECA Staff | 02/29/2024

Yesterday, U.S. congressional leaders reached a deal to avoid a March 1 partial government shutdown. Initially Congress was facing two deadlines of March 1 and March 8. Four bills- including the Energy and Water Appropriations which funds DOE and NNSA activities- make up about 20% of the discretionary funding faced the March 1 deadline, and the remaining eight bills faced the later March 8 deadline. 

However, at the last-minute Congressional leaders agreed on a deal that will provide temporary funding  for agencies facing the March 1 deadline and some full-year funding for others (Environmental Protection Agency, and the departments of Commerce, Justice and Interior). The stopgap measure extends the March 1 deadline to March 8, and the March 8 deadline to March 22. The stopgap will allow the technical work on the package to be finalized. 

This agreement is in line with a $1.59 trillion top-line spending level for FY24 agreed to by Republican and Democratic negotiators earlier in January. While details of the bill-by-bill allocation agreement have not been made public, House Energy and Water Subcommittee Chair Representative Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN) reported that the bill’s defense and nondefense allocations are in good shape and that subcommittee leaders should be able to work out funding levels. 

H.R. 2872 would provide funding for energy and water programs in FY24, prioritizing programs that  boost national and energy security. This includes, funding for nuclear energy research and development of SMRs, microreactors, HALEU programs and accident-tolerant fuels. Energy and Water appropriations would also include funding for Environmental Cleanup for the nation's defense sites and weapons activities. 

This agreement also includes temporary funding for the departments of Agriculture, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Veteran Affairs, Food and Drug Administration, and Energy. 

While this deal is a step in the right direction, funding for the remainder of the government will be more difficult. ECA will continue to provide updates on these matters as they progress.