Washington Report – July 13, 2026

July 13, 2026

Following a May 29 announcement in the Federal Register, the Office of Management and Budget is accepting comments through today on its proposed revisions to 2 CFR Part 200, commonly known as “Uniform Guidance,” the framework responsible for federal grant management;
If enacted, these sweeping changes would centralize the grant application process, apply new criteria and standards to grants, and introduce enhanced pre-issuance and risk assessment reviews;
Click here to read APWA CEO Scott Grayson’s comments, and here to submit yours.

Approximately $12M in competitive grants is available for the FY26 Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility (ICAM) Pilot Program through the Federal Transit Administration;
Seeking to improve access to public transportation by supporting innovative projects for transportation-disadvantaged populations and communities, there is no minimum or maximum grant award amount;
Completed proposals are due Sept. 9;
To apply, click here; to learn more about the program, click here.

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), 71, died this past weekend;
He served in the Senate for 23 years;
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster (R-SC) will appoint a successor to the seat;
A special election for the full six-year term would be held Aug. 11.

The House of Representatives is expected to vote on H.R. 3106, the Weatherizing Infrastructure in the North and Terrorism Emergency Readiness Act;
If enacted, H.R. 3106 would require the Department Homeland Security (DHS) secretary to conduct a collective response to a terrorism exercise that includes the management of cascading effects on critical infrastructure during times of extreme cold weather.

DHS has announced the Alliance of National Councils for Homeland Operational Resilience—Critical Infrastructure (ANCHOR-CI) will be re-established;
ANCHOR-CI is an advisory body comprised of critical infrastructure sector, cross-sector, regional, and industry councils;
Additional information on ANCHOR-CI is in the Federal Register.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that $56M is available for state, local, tribal and territorial government agencies to build and maintain a risk-informed approach to managing flood risk through two programs:
- $41M through the FY26 Cooperating Technical Partners (CTP) grant program to communities that participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
- $15M through the FY26 Community Assistance Program State Support Services Element (CAP-SSSE)
Check Grants.gov for additional information.

FEMA has approved $1.4B in post-disaster funding under the Public Assistance, Hazard Mitigation, and Individual Assistance programs;
These programs help states, Tribal Nations, territories, and local governments recover and rebuild stronger, safer communities and protect critical infrastructure from future disasters.

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will mark up its Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) 2026 this week;
WRDA is a biannual bill that reauthorizes U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) programs and regional projects, including feasibility studies and reports;
The House’s WRDA bill includes provisions that:
- Protect passive receivers during removal or remediation of contaminated sediment from dredging;
- Modernize the project application process by creating an electronic portal that can be used to submit and track permit applications and ensure it is compatible with e-NEP;
- Further codify the part of non-Federal entities, such as public works departments, in the project process and ensure they are at the table during project discussions;
- Reaffirm that nonstructural approaches to water resources and comprehensive flood risk management are a part of the Corps’ mission;
APWA’s letter of support for the House’s bipartisan WRDA bill can be found here.

(All times ET)

July 14 at 10 a.m., the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee will hold a markup on the Water Resources Development Act of 2026;
July 15 at 10 a.m., the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation will hold an executive session markup on several bills, including S. 4448, Accelerating Broadband Permits Act of 2026 and S. 4691, Disaster Communications Coordination and Preparedness Act;
July 15 at 10 a.m., the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee will hold a hearing on Reforming FEMA: Ensuring the Nation’s Disaster Readiness Works for Americans;
July 16 at 10 a.m., the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee will hold a hearing on the nomination of Keith Sonderling to become U.S. Secretary of Labor.