D.C. Watch

DHS Funding Deal brokered

The partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security reached a record 76 days before Congress struck a deal Thursday, just before a scheduled 12-day break. President Donald Trump signed it into law soon after passage, funding the department through Sept. 30, except for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Congressional Republicans are now working to send another $70 billion into immigration enforcement using procedural maneuvers that prevent a Democratic filibuster.

FY2027 White House Budget

The president's FY2027 budget proposal, released April 3, calls for a 10% reduction in non-defense discretionary spending - roughly $73 billion, including cuts to several programs counties rely on to deliver essential services. Notably, the proposal eliminates CDBG, HOME, LIHEAP, CSBG and HAVA election security grants and cuts FEMA's non-disaster grant programs by $1.5 billion.

Many of these same cuts were proposed last year and rejected by Congress. Thanks to bipartisan support and local government advocacy, programs like CDBG and EDA grants survived in FY2026. For a full analysis report of the OMB budget, please email [email protected].

BRIC Grants Back Open: Texas Deadline June 1

After being canceled last year and reinstated by federal court order, FEMA reopened the BRIC program on March 25, making $1 billion available for hazard mitigation projects including flood control, wildfire prevention and stormwater upgrades. The Texas Division of Emergency Management is administering the program with a state deadline of June 1 at 5 p.m. through the FEMA GO system.

NACo Formal Comments on LUCA

On April 20, NACo submitted formal comments to the U.S. Census Bureau on the design of the Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) program for the 2030 Census. LUCA is the voluntary process that allows counties to review and correct the Census Bureau's residential address list before the decennial count begins.

Surface Transportation Reauthorization

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act expires Sept. 30 and congressional negotiations on a successor bill are intensifying. The bipartisan BASICS Act would direct more federal transportation dollars directly to counties and cities rather than routing all funds through state agencies.