Brief Government Shutdown Ends as NFIP Reauthorized  

• By: Raaed Haddad
• February 5, 2026

On Tuesday, Congress ended a brief four-day partial federal government shutdown and reauthorized the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) through Sept. 30.

The approved funding package consisted of five full-year appropriations bills for the departments of Energy, Defense, Treasury, State, Labor, Transportation, Health and Human Services, and Education, funding them for the remainder of the fiscal year, which ends on Sept. 30.

The Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill was not included and was instead reauthorized through Feb. 13, giving Congress additional time to consider reforms.

NFIP reauthorization was included in an “extenders package” and passed outside of DHS funding, which includes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This marked the 35th short-term reauthorization of the NFIP since 2017.

Passing the DHS funding bill next week will be a major hurdle for Congress, which remains deeply divided on federal immigration enforcement. The U.S. Senate has already indicated that another short-term reauthorization of DHS funding will likely be needed to allow for longer negotiations.

The Big “I” will continue to update members through the News & Views e-newsletter on the status of government funding and the NFIP.

Raaed Haddad is Big “I” director of federal government affairs.