America Grows Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- S. 4347
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Agriculture and Food
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-20: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text: CR S1841-1842)
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-12T10:29:21Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The America Grows Act of 2026 aims to provide expanded and sustained funding for key U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) research agencies focused on agriculture, ensuring long-term investment adjusted for inflation.
Key Provisions
- Funding Appropriations (Section 2):
- Allocates mandatory funding (money that must be spent as directed, not subject to annual discretionary budget votes) to four USDA agencies:
- Agricultural Research Service (ARS): Conducts agricultural research.
- Economic Research Service (ERS): Analyzes economic and policy issues in agriculture.
- National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS): Collects and reports agricultural data.
- National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA): Funds research, education, and extension programs at universities and institutions.
- Fiscal Year (FY) 2027: 105% of FY 2026 funding levels, plus any increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI, a measure of inflation).
- FY 2028–2036: 105% of the prior year's funding, plus CPI adjustment.
- FY 2037 and beyond: Prior year's funding plus CPI adjustment.
- Funds remain available through the end of each fiscal year.
- Sequestration Exemption (Section 3): Protects these funds from automatic spending cuts (sequestration) under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 by adding them to the list of exempt programs.
- Budgetary Effects (Section 4): Exempts the Act's costs from "PAYGO" scorecards (pay-as-you-go rules requiring new spending to be offset by cuts or revenue elsewhere).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces mandatory, escalating funding (5% real increase above inflation annually through 2036) for the specified agencies, shifting from discretionary annual appropriations.
- Amends sequestration laws to shield these funds from automatic reductions.
- Bypasses PAYGO requirements, allowing spending without offsets.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Provides predictable, growing budgets for ARS, ERS, NASS, and NIFA, enabling long-term research planning without reliance on uncertain annual funding.
- Citizens and Agriculture Sector: Boosts agricultural innovation, data collection, economic analysis, and education, potentially improving food security, farm productivity, and rural economies.
- No direct international relations impact noted, though enhanced research could indirectly strengthen U.S. competitiveness in global agriculture.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- USDA Agencies (ARS, ERS, NASS, NIFA): Direct recipients of increased funding.
- Researchers, Universities, and Extension Programs: Benefit via NIFA grants.
- Farmers, Agribusiness, and Rural Communities: Gain from improved research, statistics, and economic insights.
- Taxpayers: Face higher federal spending without offsets.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Establishes permanent funding stream (beyond typical temporary appropriations), enforceable through Treasury funds not otherwise allocated.
- Constitutional: Relies on Congress's spending power (Article I, Section 9); no apparent challenges noted.
- Political: Could spark debate over unoffset spending amid fiscal constraints, as it circumvents sequestration and PAYGO to prioritize agriculture over other areas. Referred to Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry for further review.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-20: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text: CR S1841-1842)
- 2026-04-20: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- America Grows Act of 2026 — issued 2026-04-20 — PDF (4 pages)