House Appropriations Committee To Mark Up FY2021 Funding Bills Next Month

The House Appropriations Committee plans to begin marking up its 12 annual spending bills for FY2021 during the weeks of July 6 and July 13 with floor votes expected weeks of July 20 and July 27. Congress passed a FY2021 budget and debt ceiling suspension in 2019 and spending caps were lifted for both FY2020 and FY2021 by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019, which authorizes $1.3 trillion in base spending for FY2021. Congress must pass the 12 spending bills in order to avoid a government shut down when funding runs out on September 30, 2020. The appropriations process has been delayed in both the House and Senate due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In February, the House Appropriation Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies held a virtual hearing and ASDWA submitted testimony calling for increased appropriations for the Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) program and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund (DWSRF) program. ASDWA also requested funding for three drinking water grant programs to address lead in schools and communities.