Washington Report – March 16, 2026

March 16, 2026

As a member of the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks (CABT), APWA speaks up frequently for safety on our roads and protecting infrastructure that can be damaged by allowing an increase in semitrailer truck lengths and weight;
Congress is beginning the FY27 appropriations process and there are rumors of support for a pilot program to be included in the Transportation, Housing & Urban Development (T-HUD) appropriations bill allowing for bigger trucks;
A letter has been sent by CABT partners, including APWA, to House and Senate Appropriations Chairs and Ranking Members urging them to reject any language to increase maximum truck weight or length limits on federal highways;
Local roads and bridges are heavily impacted by what is allowed on our federal highways as the local infrastructure is often older and not built for the same capacity as highways, yet they serve the same traffic needs for access to necessary services when traveling;
More information, including research on the impact of larger trucks, an action alert, and state level efforts and news, may be found at www.cabt.org.

What should be APWA’s public policy priorities for the next Congress?;
Share your vision in our new survey;
The public policy priority documents are APWA’s advocacy roadmap for working with Congress and federal agencies on key legislation and regulations impacting public works;
APWA’s current policy priorities are Emergency Management, Transportation, and Water Resiliency;
Questions? Contact APWA Director of Government and Public Affairs Andrea Eales at aeales@apwa.org.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) are two agencies within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) affected by the lapse in FY26 appropriations;
APWA and our membership frequently work with FEMA and CISA on emergency preparedness and response, funding and training opportunities, and support to public works professionals as first responders;
Click here to email your U.S. Representative;
Click here to email your U.S. Senators.

APWA, in conjunction with our solid waste, water, and local government association partners, is again co-hosting a Congressional briefing on how PFOA/PFAS regulation uncertainty and potential liability impact their work to remove these harmful chemicals from the environment;
APWA Past-President Dominick Longobardi, Deputy Comptroller for the Town of Hempstead, NY, will represent the local government perspective on the panel, along with other industry representatives, including:
- Bryan Staley, president, Environmental Research & Education Foundation
- Elizabeth Biser, former secretary for the North Carolina Dept. of Environmental Quality
- Amanda Waters, general counsel and deputy general manager, AlexRenew, Virginia
- Van Tran, director, Orange County Water District, California
- Lynsey Baer, chief of engineering, Delaware Solid Waste Authority
- Pamela Racey, chief commercial officer, Synagro
The briefing will be held March 23 at 10:30 a.m. (ET) at the Capitol Visitor Center.

March 17 at 10 a.m., the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Energy Subcommittee will hold a hearing, Winter Storm Fern Lessons-Supplying Reliable Power to Meet Peak Demand;
March 17 at 10 a.m., the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s Water and Power Subcommittee will hold a hearing on pending legislation, including multiple bills reauthorizing large-scale water reuse project grants;
March 18 at 9:30 a.m., the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on the nomination of Senator Markwayne Mullin, (R-Okla.) to be the next Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security;
March 18 at 10 a.m. the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a hearing on the Challenges and Opportunities with Implementing the Endangered Species Act;
March 18 at 11 a.m., the U.S. Dept. of Transportation Advisory Board will meet. For additional information and online registration, click here.