US Senator Chris Van Hollen joined counties at the 2026 MACo Summer Conference for a sweeping discussion on federal decisions affecting county budgets, services, and communities across Maryland. From disaster response and health programs to transportation, broadband, cybersecurity, and elections, the conversation focused on what is happening in Washington and what it means for counties.
Senator Van Hollen discussed the federal budget and the pressure federal decisions can place on state and local governments. Changes affecting Medicaid, SNAP, housing, public health, transportation, and other programs can directly affect county budgets and the services residents rely on every day.
FEMA and the future federal role in disaster response were also front and center. Counties handle the response on the ground, but when a disaster overwhelms local capacity, a strong federal partner remains essential.
The conversation also covered transportation, broadband, cybersecurity, and election security. Counties depend on predictable federal partnerships and direct access to funding to plan projects, protect critical systems, and serve their communities.
Senator Van Hollen also discussed changes to federal grant rules and what they could mean for counties. Counties administer federal dollars across countless programs, and new rules can bring additional costs, requirements, and uncertainty at the local level.
Throughout the discussion, Senator Van Hollen took questions from county leaders and emphasized the importance of strong federal-local partnerships. He stressed the value of hearing directly from counties as Congress weighs decisions that affect local budgets, services, and communities.
More about MACo’s Summer Conference:
