Federal Advocacy Update, Week of October 27, 2025
House and Senate Action
House
The House is not in session.
Senate
This week, the Senate is expected to debate and vote on three tariff-related resolutions that would end national emergency declarations previously used by President Trump to impose duties on imports from Brazil and Canada, as well as on certain global trade categories more broadly. The chamber may also consider legislation to pay military personnel and to compensate TSA employees and air traffic controllers. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) may also seek unanimous consent to advance his bill (S. 3024) to temporarily restore funding for the SNAP program.
Federal Government Shutdown Continues with No End in Sight
Last week, the Senate once again rejected the House-passed short-term funding bill (H.R. 5371). The chamber also failed to advance legislation (S. 3012) that would have paid “excepted” federal employees, including active-duty military personnel and essential staff working without pay. Democrats opposed the measure, arguing that it gave the Trump administration too much discretion over which workers would be paid. Competing proposals from Democrats to pay all federal employees also stalled.
It should be noted that the Trump administration did issue a directive earlier this month ensuring military service members were paid on October 15, but it remains unclear whether funds will be available for the upcoming pay period. To bridge the gap, the administration has accepted a $130 million private donation to help pay troops, though that would only cover a fraction of what is needed.
Republican leaders plan to continue introducing targeted funding bills this week, including measures to pay military personnel and to compensate TSA employees and air traffic controllers.
A growing concern is the looming November 1 “food-aid cliff.” At least 25 states have warned that they will be forced to pause Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. On the same day, federal funding will also lapse for some early childhood education programs supported by Head Start, which provides education, health, and nutrition services for more than 800,000 children nationwide. Without federal support, many centers may be forced to scale back operations, delay payroll, or temporarily close. November 1 also marks the start of open enrollment for Affordable Care Act health plans, which Democrats believe could increase pressure on Republicans to negotiate, particularly amid rising premium costs.
Senate Panel Advances Fix Our Forests Act
Last week, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry voted 18–5 to advance the Fix Our Forests Act (FOFA; S. 1462), comprehensive bipartisan legislation aimed at restoring forest health, increasing resiliency to catastrophic wildfires, and protecting communities in the wildland-urban interface. The bill – sponsored by Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), John Curtis (R-UT), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Tim Sheehy (R-MT) – serves as the Senate companion to the House-passed version (H.R. 471) and reflects months of bipartisan negotiations to improve vegetation management practices, streamline environmental reviews, and strengthen coordination among federal, state, tribal, and local partners.
The Senate bill also includes several notable additions to the House version, including the creation of a Wildfire Intelligence Center, modeled after the National Weather Service, to serve as a centralized hub for real-time data, predictive modeling, and interagency coordination. It also expands opportunities for local government engagement, enhances the Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program, broadens watershed protection efforts, and strengthens cooperative authorities for mitigation work and fireshed assessments.
Like the House version, S. 1462 includes language spearheaded by NSDA that would formally define special districts and clarify that they are, in fact, an eligible local government partner in the forest management policy space. It also expands the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) to include special districts – enabling them to partner with the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management on cross-jurisdictional restoration work.
Several Democratic members voted against advancing the bill, citing concerns over the Forest Service’s limited staffing capacity, the lack of dedicated funding to implement reforms, and provisions modifying the judicial review process for forest management projects, which they argued could weaken foundational environmental protections.
Legislation Introduced to Protect Watersheds After Wildfires
Last week, Congressman Joe Neguse (D-CO) reintroduced legislation – the Watershed Protection and Forest Recovery Act (H.R. 5823) – that would help communities and water users protect their water supply after natural disasters on U.S. Forest Service (USFS) lands. Among other things, the legislation would create a new Emergency Forest Watershed Program (EFWP) within the Department of Agriculture (USDA) that would help streamline recovery efforts and protect water resources downstream of national forests. It also would allow local governments and water providers to enter into agreements with the Forest Service to implement watershed recovery protection measures.
EPA Releases New Tools to Help Water and Wastewater Systems Strengthen Cybersecurity
Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released new and updated tools to help drinking water and wastewater utilities strengthen cybersecurity and improve emergency preparedness.
The resources include
- Emergency Response Plan Guide for Wastewater Utilities: This updated plan describes strategies, resources, plans, and procedures utilities can use to prepare for and respond to an incident, natural or man-made, that threatens life, property, or the environment.
- Template for Developing an Incident Response Plan: This new template assists drinking water and wastewater systems with developing a Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan (CIRP).
- Incident Action Checklists: These new checklists will help drinking water utilities prepare for, respond to, and recover from specific emergencies such as wildfires, power outages, floods, and cybersecurity incidents.
- Cybersecurity Procurement Checklist: This checklist will help water and wastewater utilities incorporate cybersecurity into the procurement process. It will help utilities generally assess the cybersecurity practices of suppliers, including vendors and manufacturers, and their products during procurement.
Relevant Hearings and Markups
Senate Energy and Natural Resources
Wednesday, October 29 | 9:30 a.m. ET | The full committee will meet to examine the Section 106 consultation process under the National Historic Preservation Act.
Senate Environment and Public Works
Wednesday, October 29 | 10:00 a.m. ET | The Committee will meet to consider a slate of nominations, including Jeffrey Hall to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. The panel will also consider a handful of bills, including a measure (S. 2235) that would reauthorize the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) grant program.
Senate Judiciary
Tuesday, October 28 | 10:15 a.m. ET | The full committee will hold a hearing entitled, "Pressure Cooker: Competition Issues in the Seed and Fertilizer Industries."
Tuesday, October 28 | 2:30 p.m. ET | The Subcommittee on the Constitution will hold a hearing entitled, "Politically Violent Attacks: A Threat to Our Constitutional Order."
Hudson Institute
Tuesday, October 28 | 3:00 p.m. ET | The Hudson Institute holds a discussion on "The Future of U.S. Broadband and Spectrum Strategy." Assistant Commerce Secretary for Communications and Information Arielle Roth is slated to participate.