Washington Report – June 29, 2026

June 29, 2026

Latest News

Happy Independence Day! Due to the holiday and Congressional recess for the week of July 6, the APWA Washington Report will next publish July 13. Check out APWA Government Affairs on X and LinkedIn for updates. Have a safe and enjoyable holiday.

APWA Government Affairs Heading to Georgia

The APWA Georgia chapter is hosting its annual meeting and 75th anniversary July 6-10 at Jekyll Island, GA;
APWA President Vic Bianes, and Region IV Director Larry Ingram will attend;
Government Affairs Media Manager Mark Shade and Sr. Government Affairs Manager Marty Williams will present two government affairs-focused sessions July 7.

Contact Your Members of Congress to Protect Vital Water Infrastructure Funding

Major federal programs, including the Clean Water and Drinking Water state revolving funds (SRFs) and Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA), are expiring Sept. 30;
With the expiration of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding, water infrastructure is facing a financial cliff with a potential 90% decrease in federal funding;
APWA is calling on you to ACT NOW and tell your representative to reauthorize the SRFs and WIFIA today.

Water Resources Development Act Introduced

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has introduced the 2026 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA);
WRDA is a biennial 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:
- Reiterate the tenants of the Corps’ Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork initiative
- Direct the Corps to develop electronic permit application, tracking systems
- Direct the Corps to investigate a comprehensive approach to flood risk management
- Updates Corps policy around issuing, updating policies, and guidance documents
The Senate is expected to introduce its version of WRDA in the coming weeks.

OMB Seeking Input on Proposed Federal Financial Assistance Guidance

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is seeking input on a proposed rule that would rewrite the government-wide framework for managing federal financial assistance, including grants and cooperative agreements;
While many proposed changes stem from previous executive orders and other administrative actions issued over the past two years, this rule would consolidate many of the proposals into a single, government-wide regulation that would apply to all federal-financial assistance programs;
Click here to read the Federal Register announcement and to submit comments by July 13;
APWA will submit comments of its own, publish them on APWA’s website, and include them here in the Washington Report.

FEMA Announces $189M for Pre-Disaster Mitigation

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is making $189M available for pre-disaster mitigation funding;
Funding, from the FY26 Homeland Security and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, will support 125 specific mitigation projects in 40 states and one Tribal Nation;
Communities with identified projects must submit an application by 5 p.m. ET, July 22, and only projects specified in the law are eligible.

Comments Needed on Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program

FEMA is seeking comments on Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP);
Presidential Policy Directive 8 (PPD-8: National Preparedness), issued March 30, 2011, established a National Preparedness Goal (NPG) that identifies the core capabilities necessary for preparedness and a National Preparedness System (NPS);
NPS allows the nation to track its progress to build and improve the capabilities necessary to prevent, protect against, mitigate the effects of, respond to, and recover from those threats that pose the greatest risk to the security of the nation;
To submit comments, include your agency’s name and docket ID #2026-0298 to Sayoko Hamilton, Section Chief, Performance Analysis and Evaluation, Resilience, at Sayoko.Hamilton@fema.dhs.gov;
The deadline to submit comments is Aug. 17.

FEMA FY24 Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant Program Accepting Applications

FEMA, through the FY24 Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant Program, is making $600M available to state, local, tribal and territorial governments, to take steps to protect their communities from flood disasters;
The deadline to apply is Aug. 6.

FEMA Announces $1.5B to Protect Infrastructure, Prevent Terrorism

FEMA announced $1.5B in grants through the FY26 Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP);
Funding will be allocated over seven preparedness grant programs to protect communities across the country from terrorism and other urgent threats;
The application period closes July 24;
Notice of the funding opportunity and supporting documents to apply are available on Grants.gov.

FEMA Announces $300M for Nonprofit Organizations

FEMA has $300M available through the FY26 Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), which is for faith-based institutions and other non-profit organizations to defend against potential acts of terrorism and targeted violence;
NSGP covers security enhancements, including security cameras, additional warning and alert systems, gates and lighting, access control systems and training programs for staff;
For additional information, including how to apply for NSGP funding, contact your state administrative agency.