H.R. 5435House115th Congress (2017-2019)In Committee

Funding Americans First Act

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Updated April 15, 2026 at 9:04 PM UTC

The Funding Americans First Act directs the federal government to use census‑based counts of citizens and legal permanent residents when deciding how much grant money to give to states, localities, territories, and tribes. By tying grant amounts to the most recent population count, the bill aims to ensure that funding reflects where people actually live. It changes how agencies calculate block grants, categorical grants, and similar funding programs, and it becomes effective on October 1, 2021.

Key Provisions

The Office of Management and Budget must tell every federal agency to base its grant allocations on the count of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents in each state or local area, using data from the decennial census (starting with the 2020 census).
This rule applies to block grants, categorical grants, and any other grant programs that calculate funding using a state's total population.
The definition of “State” includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, possessions, and federally recognized Indian tribes.
The new allocation method takes effect on October 1, 2021.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Oversight and Government Reform Committee

April 5, 2018

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

April 5, 2018

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Oversight and Government Reform Committee

April 5, 2018

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued April 5, 2018

115th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 5435

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 5, 2018

Mr. Messer introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

A BILL

To require Federal agencies to allocate grant funding to States and localities based on the number of United States citizens and legal residents as determined under the decennial census, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Funding Americans First Act.

Allocation of grant funding

(a)

In general

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall direct the head of each agency to use, as appropriate, the number of citizens and legal permanent residents residing in a State or political subdivision of a State, as determined under a decennial census of population under section 141 of title 13, United States Code, (beginning with the 2020 decennial census) when determining funding for the following:

(1)

Block grants.

(2)

Categorical grants.

(3)

Any other funding measures determined by the Director if the specific measure is calculated using the total population of a State or political subdivision of a State.

(b)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Agency

The term agency has the meaning given that term in section 551 of title 5, United States Code.

(2)

State

The term State means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, each territory or possession of the United States, and each federally recognized Indian Tribe.

(c)

Effective date

This Act shall take effect on October 1, 2021.