Why is it Must Pass?

Congress passes 12 appropriations bills every year to fund federal agencies and programs, such as the National Institutes of Health or the Title X family planning program. This funding expires annually, typically at the end of the fiscal year (September 30). If Congress fails to pass another appropriations bill before that expiration date, the government shuts down.

What Opportunities Does this Bill Present?

Members of Congress can use appropriations bills to increase funding for government programs they care about or cut funding for programs they oppose. Additionally, members can request "community project funding"—better known as "earmarks"—to finance projects in their states and districts. Finally, members may try to add or remove appropriations “riders,” provisions that attach policy directives or conditions on funding.

When Will this Bill Expire?

FY 2023 appropriations expired on September 30, 2023. Since then, Congress has passed three short-term funding extensions known as continuing resolutions (CRs) to keep the government open. The most recent short-term spending bill became law on January 19. It funds federal agencies included in the Agriculture-FDA, Energy-Water, Military Construction-VA, and Transportation-HUD appropriations bills through March 1, 2024. Funding for other agencies expires March 8, 2024.

Current Status

In January, House and Senate leaders agreed to topline levels for defense spending ($886 billion) and nondefense spending ($773 billion). They also determined how to allocate that funding among the 12 appropriations bills. However, those allocations were not public at the time of publication. Now, lawmakers must decide which policy riders—if any—to include, and which earmark requests to fund before the House and Senate can finish writing and voting on spending bills. All of this must happen before March 1 and 8 to avoid a shutdown or another short-term patch.

Why is it “Must-Pass”?

See above.

What Opportunities Does this Bill Present?

See above.

When Will this Bill Expire?

Once Congress approves FY 2024 appropriations bills, they will expire on September 30, 2024. Accordingly, Congress will have to pass FY 2025 spending bills before September 30 to avoid a shutdown or a short-term extension of FY 2024 bills.

Current Status

The appropriations process usually begins after the president submits a budget request to Congress in early February. Then, appropriators draft a budget resolution to set the topline spending levels for that year’s appropriations bills. After this, Congress can craft spending bills that adhere to those numbers. However, given delays in the FY 2024 appropriations process discussed above, this process may also be delayed.

Why is it Must Pass?

The NDAA authorizes funding and sets policies for U.S. military programs. The NDAA also allows Congress a yearly opportunity to adapt these programs to changing circumstances globally, such as climate change or the pandemic; address emerging servicemember needs; and mandate information from the Defense Department. Congress has passed an NDAA every year since 1961 to take advantage of these opportunities and avoid criticisms that members are "soft" on national security issues.

What Opportunities Does this Bill Present?

Members might attempt to boost or cut funding for programs they support or oppose, or require reforms. For example, a member may work to restrict military equipment transfers to state and local law enforcement under the 1033 program. Members may also seek to cut the overall defense budget. Additionally, the NDAA provides a chance to debate U.S. military activities, like war authorizations, weapons sales, or funding for other militaries—and whether those activities should continue.

When Will this Bill Expire?

Congress typically finalizes the coming year’s NDAA in December. For example, the FY 2023 NDAA became law on December 23, 2022, while the FY 2024 NDAA became law on December 22, 2023.

Current Status

The House and Senate Armed Forces Committees will start conducting hearings and drafting the FY 2025 NDAA after the president submits his budget request to Congress, usually in early February.

Why is it “Must-Pass”?

Congress passes this comprehensive legislation on food and agricultural policy roughly every five years to prevent critical programs like nutrition assistance from expiring. The last farm bill, the Agriculture Improvement Act (P.L. 115-34), was signed into law on December 20, 2018.

What Opportunities does this Bill Present?

Given its broad scope, Congress can tackle several priorities via the farm bill. For example, members may work to strengthen anti-hunger programs to address racial and ethnic inequities around food access. Alternatively, members might target consolidation in the farming industry to protect small farmers, or improve conservation programs to combat climate change.

When Will this Bill Expire?

The authorizations in the 2018 farm bill expired at the end of FY 2023 (September 30). However, as it’s done in the past, Congress passed an extension to give itself extra time to negotiate a new five-year farm bill. On November 16, 2023, President Biden signed a continuing resolution that extended the 2018 farm bill through September 30, 2024. Congress will need to pass a new farm bill by September 30, 2024.

Current Status

Neither the House nor Senate agriculture committee has released a draft for a new farm bill or scheduled a markup. However, on November 12, the House and Senate Agriculture Committees’ leaders issued a bipartisan statement affirming their commitment to approving a new farm bill in 2024.

Why is it Must Pass?

FAA reauthorization bills greenlight funding and set policies for the FAA. The last reauthorization, the FAA Reauthorization Act (P.L. 115-254), expires at the end of FY 2023 (September 30). A reauthorization will allow Congress to address issues that have emerged in civilian aviation over the past five years. Given Americans' widespread dependence on air travel, Congress will likely take advantage of this opportunity to deal with problems in this space.

What Opportunities Does this Bill Present?

Congress may use the FAA reauthorization bill to tackle air travel issues that the pandemic exacerbated, such as lengthy flight delays. Members could also direct funding towards district projects, like airport infrastructure improvements. Additionally, members could update safety standards and protections for workers, such as required rest periods for pilots or flight attendants.

When Will this Bill Expire?

On December 26, 2023, President Biden signed a short-term extension to renew expiring FAA authorities through March 8, 2024. Such extensions are common: Congress passed 23 short-term FAA authorizations between 2007 and 2012, three between 2015 and 2017, and the authorization lapsed entirely in 2011.

Current Status

The House passed its version of the FAA reauthorization on July 20, 2023 by a vote of 351-69. Senators introduced their FAA reauthorization bill in June, but have not voted on the measure. Since the current extension expires on the same day as most of the federal government’s funding (March 8), Congress may attach an FAA bill to its next appropriations measure.

Why is it Must Pass?

FISA first became law in 1978 and created guidelines the U.S. government must follow while collecting foreign intelligence. It is now used for domestic surveillance. Certain FISA provisions concerning information collection about people outside the United States, who communicate with individuals in the United States, expire this year.

What Opportunities Does this Bill Present?

FISA reauthorizations have previously renewed debates around government surveillance and civil liberties. As such, members of Congress may use the FISA reauthorization as an opportunity to rein in what they consider excessive and unlawful government surveillance. For example, on November 7, 2023, a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers introduced the Government Surveillance Reform Act, which reauthorizes FISA Section 702 with reforms to protect Americans’ privacy rights.

When Will this Bill Expire?

Congress temporarily extended expiring FISA provisions as part of the FY 2024 NDAA. The extension expires on ​​April 19, 2024.

Current Status

There remain numerous proposals to extend FISA authorities, none of which have been considered in either chamber.

Bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee leaders introduced legislation to extend FISA Section 702 authority through 2035. The aforementioned Government Surveillance Reform Act would reform Section 702 while extending its authority through September 30, 2027. The House was set to consider competing FISA reauthorization bills in December: one from its Judiciary Committee and one from Intelligence, but did not ultimately vote on either.

Why is it “Must-Pass”?

WRDA authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete specific activities and water development projects. Congress consistently passes a new WRDA every two years. The last WRDA became law on December 23, 2022 as part of that year’s NDAA.

What Opportunities Does this Bil Present?

WRDA authorizes a wide range of water-related development projects. These include flood control; maintenance of ports, locks, and dams; ecosystem restoration; wastewater management systems, and much more. Members can use WRDA to direct federal funding to specific state and district water development priorities.

When Will This Bill Expire?

WRDA does not “expire” in the typical sense. Rather, Congress has routinely opted to amend or add to the projects WRDA authorizes every two years to account for communities’ changing needs. To maintain that schedule, Congress must pass a new WRDA by December 2024.

Current Status

Neither chamber has proposed a WRDA bill for 2024. However, both the House and Senate have held hearings regarding this year’s WRDA, the most recent of which took place on December 13 in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.