Sponsor
Andy Harris
Representative · R-MD
Representative · R-MD
Official title: Making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2027, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 1, 2026 by Andy Harris · Last progress June 8, 2026
The bill directs modest new funding and expands rural infrastructure and certain regulatory flexibilities while preserving payroll/IT continuity, but does so alongside provisions that limit agency rulemaking and oversight, weaken appropriations control, and delay or block food‑safety updates — trading regulatory and budgetary transparency for short‑term program and infrastructure flexibilities.
Rural communities and small businesses will have expanded options and flexibility to build connectivity and utility projects because broadband pilot eligibility is broadened and Farm Credit banks can finance rural waste, telecom, and electricity projects.
Federal payroll and HR services for employees remain stable because the National Finance Center (NFC) systems are kept under NFC control, reducing risk of payroll disruption.
USDA agencies can use unobligated balances to modernize IT (including cloud migration), improving service delivery and potentially reducing long‑term costs for government operations and partner governments.
Consumers and public health are at greater risk because the bill blocks or delays key food-safety rulemaking and enforcement (Listeria guidance, sodium reduction efforts, traceability enforcement until 2028) and restricts some FSIS inspection funding, slowing updates that protect food safety.
Congressional control and transparency over spending are weakened because the bill permits transfers of unobligated balances into the Working Capital Fund and makes them available until expended, reducing annual appropriations oversight.
Rural programs and planned projects may face cuts or delays because the bill cancels $95M and rescinds $40M in unobligated funds, reducing resources available to implement prior initiatives.
Based on analysis of 8 sections of legislative text.
Permits USDA fund transfers to buy vehicles and fund WCF investments, protects NFC, extends a Farm Bill provision, expands cooperative bank financing, cancels $95M, and restricts FDA Listeria guidance.
Allows the Department of Agriculture to shift appropriated funds within the Act to buy passenger vehicles (subject to a FY2027 cap tied to the USDA’s FY2018 fleet) and to transfer unobligated discretionary balances into the USDA Working Capital Fund for capital, IT, and administrative improvements, with requirements for agency approval and notification to Appropriations Committees. Protects the National Finance Center (NFC) and related finance/IT offices from relocation or change without prior congressional approval. Makes several miscellaneous, substantive changes: removes a sunset so a Farm Bill provision becomes permanent, expands financing authority for a Bank for Cooperatives to support rural waste, telecom, and electricity facilities, cancels $95 million in certain unobligated balances, appropriates $2 million for a specified program, and temporarily restricts FDA from issuing new Listeria guidance for low‑risk ready‑to‑eat foods until new science is reviewed.