Time is running out for House and Senate members trying to pass WRDA and Energy bills before time runs out on the 114th Congress. Word spread this week that both chambers will look to close the session after they pass a temporary spending bill before the current continuing resolution funding the federal government expires on December 9th.

While conferees from both sides continue to talk, the Energy bill negotiators seem to be far apart on some of the issues, especially the Land and Water Conservation Fund's permanent reauthorization in the Senate's package. House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop maintains that he will allow the LWCF provision to move forward only if he gets changes to the program in the deal. Aid for Flint is still in limbo as House and Senate WRDA negotiators continue to hash out their conference in hopes of getting a bill passed before the clock runs out. While spending to help the city repair and replace its drinking water infrastructure passed both chambers, the amounts authorized by the House and Senate are vastly different and some Senate negotiators have not been willing to come off their number, especially after they were promised by leadership that aid would get passed before the end of the term after it was not included in the last continuing resolution.