# What This Bill Does

This bill puts a cap on how much money the U.S. Department of Agriculture can spend on its Watershed Rehabilitation Program during 2024. Specifically, it limits spending to no more than $1 million for that year. The Watershed Rehabilitation Program helps restore and protect watersheds—the areas of land where water drains into rivers, streams, and groundwater—by funding projects that improve water quality, prevent erosion, and restore damaged land and water systems.

# Who This Affects

This limitation primarily impacts farmers, rural communities, and landowners who depend on watershed restoration projects. These projects typically help with things like fixing eroded stream banks, restoring wetlands, improving water quality in agricultural areas, and managing stormwater runoff. If the program normally receives more funding than $1 million annually, this bill would significantly reduce the number and scope of projects that can be completed. Smaller communities and individual landowners seeking assistance with water management and land restoration could face longer wait times or see their projects rejected due to lack of available funds.

# The Practical Impact

The real consequence of this cap depends on how much money the program usually receives. If it typically gets $5 million or $10 million per year, cutting it to $1 million would be a dramatic reduction that could halt most ongoing projects. Environmental groups and agricultural organizations that rely on this program to fund restoration work would likely see their budgets slashed. For everyday people, this could mean delayed repairs to damaged waterways, reduced support for soil conservation efforts, and potentially worse water quality in agricultural regions that depend on these restoration projects.

To provide for a limitation on availability of funds for US Department of Agriculture, Watershed Rehabilitation Program for fiscal year 2024.

Biggs, Andy

 <p>This bill limits FY2024 funding for the Department of Agriculture's Watershed Rehabilitation Program.</p>