**Due to the mid-term election, Congress will be out of session this month and October. The next issue of the APWA Washington Report will be November 9.
September 21, 2026
Latest News
Stand Up for Critical Water Legislation Today
- Take 60 seconds today to email your members of Congress urging them to fund vital water legislation;
- The Clean Water and Drinking Water state revolving funds, and the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) expire Sept. 30;
- Click here to tell Congress to reauthorize these programs.
Still Time to Register – APWA to Participate in Cybersecurity Webinar
- APWA Past President Vic Bianes will deliver remarks, and APWA Government Affairs Committee member Mark Ray (the Burnsville, MN, public works director) will present, Sept. 24, during the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) webinar, “Building Resilient Communities Through Cyber Hygiene”;
- Topics of discussion:
- Enhancing cybersecurity in emergency response
- Securing future emergency communications
- Next Gen 911
- Community resilience & cyber hygiene
- For additional information, including on how to register, click here.
APWA Participates in U.S. DOT Safety Expo
- APWA Senior Government Affairs Manager Marty Williams and Government Affairs Specialist Jeff Finegan stopped by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Roadway Safety Innovation EXPO on Sept. 18 to represent APWA;
- U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy offered remarks, as well as FHWA Administrator Sean McMaster;
- Full of interactive displays, the event focused on convening state DOTs, local and tribal transportation leaders, industry stakeholders, and safety advocates.
FEMA Releases First National Assessment of Hurricane Wind Risk
- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released its First National Assessment of Hurricane Wind Risk Assessment;
- FEMA also released an interactive version of the report’s data, designed to allow practitioners with the ability to more readily visualize findings for their area via the Hurricane Wind Risk/Loss Severity Viewer.
FEMA Announces $180M for Community Resilience
- FEMA is releasing $180M to support community efforts working to strengthen their resilience against future disasters;
- The funding is for the following mitigation programs:
- $160M through the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program to support 115 specific projects in 39 states and one Tribal Nation, most of which will focus on improving infrastructure to reduce flood risk, earthquakes, and wildfires
- $15M to states and territories to reduce the risk of floods by improving floodplain management practices through the Community Assistance Program – State Support Services Element
- $3.8M to states and territories, nonprofit organizations, and higher education institutions, to reduce the risk of earthquakes through funding opportunities via National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program grants, including $2.3 million to 22 states and U.S. territories to train officials, conduct exercises and carry out other activities to prepare for potential earthquakes.
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month
- Cybersecurity Awareness Month, “Securing the Next 250“, will urge organizations to take action now on cybersecurity, as cyber threats get faster and smarter;
- CISA has added two additional steps to map cybersecurity performance goals for this year:
- “Have an Incident Response Plan—and use it!”
- “Be Prepared for System Disruptions.”
Mark Your Calendars for National First Responders Day
- National First Responders Day is Oct. 28;
- To mark the occasion, APWA President Robert Garland and Government Affairs Committee Chair Adisa Aarons will host a virtual town hall;
- Watch for your opportunity to register and share why public works are first responders.
Government Affairs Pitches Advocacy to Central PA Chapter Operators
- APWA Central Pennsylvania held its annual Symposium and Equipment Show, Sept. 17;
- In addition to continuing education classes on trench safety and pesticides, 360 operators listened to APWA Government Affairs Media Strategist Mark Shade talk about the importance of being advocates for public works;
- “You know how public works actually works,” Shade told them. “The people making decisions need to know what you know. So, every once in a while, make some noise.”
Explore APWA’s Member Advocacy Tools:
- Follow on X and LinkedIn
- APWA Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Resource page
- 119th Congress Public Policy Priorities & Policymaker Primers
- APWA Washington Report
- Legislative Action Center
- The Value of Government Affairs Video
- “What is Public Works?”
- Tell Your Story
- Public Works Research