House Narrowly Passes Bill Funding Civil Works
On September 4, the U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of the fiscal year 2026 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act (H.R.4553) by a narrow, partisan 214-213 vote. The bill primarily funds defense, nuclear energy and infrastructure while cutting renewable energy programs—the main source of the opposition by Democrats. The bill includes funding recommendations for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works mission through September 30, 2026.
The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration and reconciliation. It aims to fund the government through the new fiscal year, which begins October 1, 2025, and is an effort to avoid triggering a September 30 shutdown if a reconciled funding bill is not passed and signed by the president. While both parties want to avoid a shutdown—and they agree on permitting reform and some parts of defense spending—divisions on energy policy remain bitter. House Democrats released a statement calling the House bill “extreme” and claiming it would raise energy costs.
Record Funding For Corps
The bill includes $9.88 billion for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works mission, a record funding level. The House Energy and Water Development funding for fiscal year 2026 is $1.2 billion above last year’s enacted level and provides $396.8 million for construction and major rehabilitation projects on the inland waterways system.
For the overall construction account, $2.55 billion was recommended, an increase of $997 million from the FY26 president’s budget request. With nearly $400 million for inland waterways construction and major rehabilitation projects, the program stands to receive another strong year of funding, with $100 million coming from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund. Specifically funded are: Chickamauga Lock, Tennessee River, Tenn., $213 million, requested by Rep. Chuck Fleischmann of Tennessee; Montgomery Lock and Dam, Upper Ohio River, Pennsylvania, $183.83 million, requested by Rep. Guy Reschenthaler and Rep. Chris Deluzio, both of Pennsylvania; Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP), $2 million, which will go toward ecosystem restoration efforts, requested by Rep. Nikki Budzinski and Rep. Eric Sorensen, both of Illinois.
The investigations account recommendation of $144.1 million is an increase of $70 million from the FY26 president’s budget request. The Mississippi River and Tributaries (MR&T) recommendation of $490 million represents a $233.5 million increase from the president’s FY26 budget request. The recommendation also includes an additional $12 million for dredging.
Some inland waterways projects funded include: channel improvement funding for Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee, $87.03 million; Helena (Ark.) Harbor, $607,000; Baton Rouge (La.) Harbor, Devil’s Swamp, $68,000; Greenville (Miss.) Harbor, $1.34 million; Vicksburg (Miss.) Harbor, $1.05 million; Memphis (Tenn.) Harbor, $2.55 million.
The operations and maintenance account recommendation of $6.14 billion is a $3.81 billion increase from the president’s FY26 request.
The Senate Appropriations Committee’s markup of the Energy and Water Development bill has not yet been scheduled. In an email to its members, Waterways Council Inc. leaders said they will continue to inform members of developments.
