Washington Report – December 8, 2025

APWA, in conjunction with 18 water and government associations and nonprofits, is co-hosting a panel on Capitol Hill about the importance of water infrastructure funding and financing programs, Dec. 10;
The panel will include state and local government, water utilities, and construction industry representatives;
Many vital water infrastructure programs, including the Clean Water and Drinking Water state revolving funds, are expiring in the coming year;
The briefing, which will be preceded at 9:30 a.m. ET in 215 Senate Visitor Center, will give Congressional staff an opportunity to learn more about these programs, how different groups utilize them, and the important role they play in protecting public health, affordability, and the environment.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) is now in its fifth and final year, expiring Sept. 30, 2026;
Congress is expected to release legislation in the spring for what will follow IIJA and APWA Government Affairs is actively engaged with the key Congressional Committees sharing policy priorities for the next bill;
There are still many funding opportunities which public works agencies, communities of all sizes, and professionals can seek in the final months of the law, and great resources to regularly check include the U.S. Dept. of Transportation’s Build American Bureau, Grants.gov, the DOT Competitive Grants Dashboard, and the DOT Navigator tool;
Please keep APWA Government Affairs apprised of what is going well through IIJA, and challenges your community is having through the APWA Tell Your Story portal, and if you have questions, reach out to Director of Government and Public Affairs Andrea Eales at aeales@apwa.org.

In the shadow of administrative changes to the Department of Education, the Department of Labor recently announced the creation of a portal to receive submitted workforce development plans from states to be eligible for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds;
The portal will allow Education and Labor to jointly administer programs under WIOA, thus creating a more streamlined process;
WIOA’s reauthorization expired in 2020, but it remains an umbrella for federal workforce programs. Congress continues to work towards a reauthorization;
Click here to read about this change.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released its Building Codes Enforcement Playbook;
The playbook offers support for building code officials in effectively administering and enforcing updated, hazard-resistant codes.

Dec. 8 at 5:30 p.m. the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee is holding an executive session on multiple transportation nominations including positions on the National Transportation Safety Board, the Surface Transportation Board, and the position of Undersecretary for Policy at U.S. DOT;
Dec. 9 at 2 p.m., the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions committee’s Subcommittee on Education & the American Family will hold a hearing on Building Pathways: Advancing Workforce Development in the 21st Century;
Dec. 11 at 1 p.m., the FEMA Review Council will present its final draft report
- Homeland Security Secretary Noem and Secretary of War Hegseth will make remarks, followed by council deliberations and a public vote on the draft final report
- To register, click here
Dec. 12 at 9 a.m., the House Energy & Commerce Committee will hold a Member Day hearing where members will testify on issues within the committee’s jurisdiction.