On July 27, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2018, as part of the Make America Secure Appropriations Act, 2018. The legislation provides $130 million for ARC for fiscal year (FY) 2018. This total includes $70 million for ARC’s regular program; $50 million for the POWER Initiative to help communities that have been adversely impacted by changes in the coal industry and power sector; and $10 million to continue a program of high-speed broadband deployment in economically distressed counties in Central Appalachia that have been most negatively impacted by the downturn in the coal industry.

On July 20, the Senate appropriations committee approved its FY 2018 energy and water development appropriations bill, which provides $142 million for ARC’s nonhighway programs. Full Senate action on the legislation is pending.