{"id":4967,"date":"2025-11-26T09:52:23","date_gmt":"2025-11-26T09:52:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/waterways.org\/?p=4967"},"modified":"2025-11-26T09:52:23","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T09:52:23","slug":"nwc-news-alert-nov-25-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/waterways.org\/wordpress2\/nwc-news-alert-nov-25-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"NWC NEWS ALERT (Nov. 25, 2025)"},"content":{"rendered":"

SENATE FY2026 ENERGY AND WATER APPROPRIATIONS BILL<\/strong><\/h3>\n

November 25, 2025<\/strong><\/h3>\n

NWC members,<\/p>\n

As we head into this season of thanks and gather with family and friends, I want to take a moment to thank you for your continued support of the National Waterways Conference. Your commitment keeps our work moving forward and strengthens the voice of every community that depends on reliable water resources, safe navigation, and resilient infrastructure.<\/p>\n

Thanksgiving has always been about connection. In many ways, our waterways tell that same story. They connect towns, economies, ecosystems, and people. They remind us that nothing stands alone and that our shared efforts matter.<\/p>\n

On behalf of NWC, thank you for being part of this community and for the work you do every day.<\/p>\n

Wishing you and your loved ones a very happy Thanksgiving.<\/p>\n

Best,<\/p>\n

\n

Julie and NWC team<\/p>\n

\n

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE RELEASES FY 2026 ENERGY AND WATER BILL<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>On November 24, the Senate Appropriations Committee released its\u00a0Fiscal Year 2026 Energy and Water Development bill<\/a>, proposing total funding of $65.626 billion for the fiscal year. The bill provides $9.79 billion for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and $1.577 billion for the Bureau of Reclamation. The Department of Energy would receive $49.57 billion under the Senate proposal.<\/p>\n

The bill includes reductions across several energy-focused accounts. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy would receive $2.2 billion, which is $1.2 billion below the current level. Science programs would receive $8 billion, and ARPA E would receive $414 million. The National Nuclear Security Administration would receive slightly more than $25 billion, an increase of $878.4 million.<\/p>\n

This release comes as Congress continues to work through the fiscal year 2026 appropriations backlog. The federal government shut down on October 1 after Congress failed to enact any of the 12 annual funding bills or pass a continuing resolution. The shutdown lasted 43 days. Since reopening, Congress has enacted three fiscal year 2026 bills, leaving nine still outstanding. The Senate is assembling a broader package of appropriations bills, and with the release of both the Energy and Water bill and the\u00a0Financial Services bill<\/a>, that package could expand to six or more. It remains unclear whether the Energy and Water bill will move within that package or follow its own track.<\/p>\n

Regardless of how the Senate proceeds, the bill must ultimately be conferenced with the House FY2026 Energy and Water version, and significant funding differences will need to be resolved before final passage.<\/p>\n

USACE highlights:<\/u><\/p>\n