Read more about the article FEMA Tells States To Go It Alone
Emergency Management / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
FEMA Tells States To Go It Alone

FEMA is telling states to prepare to handle more disasters with less federal help, adding to months of uncertainty over the future of federal emergency management funding and disaster assistance. For counties, the shift could mean more pressure on state and local budgets to maintain response and recovery capacity when federal support vanishes. According to POLITICO, FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton told state emergency management leaders that states need stronger financial reserves and emergency capabilities to…

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October 21, 2026
Read more about the article Federal 988 Bill Would Boost Local Crisis Response Funding
County Budgets / Health and Human Services / NACo and Federal Issues
Federal 988 Bill Would Boost Local Crisis Response Funding

A bipartisan bill in Congress would provide long-term federal funding for 988 call centers, mobile crisis teams, crisis stabilization services, and the behavioral health workforce that supports them. Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Doris Matsui of California introduced the 988 Implementation Act, H.R. 10280, last month. The bill would authorize $441 million for local 988 call centers and another $100 million for mobile crisis response teams. The legislation would also make permanent an enhanced…

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October 6, 2026
Read more about the article SNAP Participation Declines as States Prepare for New Costs
Health and Human Services / NACo and Federal Issues / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
SNAP Participation Declines as States Prepare for New Costs

SNAP participation continues to decline nationwide as states prepare for new financial responsibilities under recent federal changes, while Congress considers delaying some of the costs set to shift to states. According to a Stateline article, more than 5 million Americans have lost access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) since federal changes enacted last year, while Congress considers delaying some of the law’s new financial requirements for states. From the Stateline article: New data…

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September 24, 2026
Read more about the article Congress Averts Government Shutdown, Delays New Federal Grant Rules
County News / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use
Congress Averts Government Shutdown, Delays New Federal Grant Rules

Last week, Congress approved a short-term spending bill that keeps the federal government funded through December 11 while delaying a sweeping rewrite of federal grant rules. The delay gives counties additional time before the proposed changes to federal grant administration can take effect. The US House passed the Senate version of the continuing resolution on September 1 by a 370-48 vote, following the Senate’s 90-6 vote in August. President Trump signed the measure into law,…

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September 9, 2026
Read more about the article FCC Proposal Could Preempt Local Broadband Permitting Authority
Broadband / County News / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use / Planning and Zoning
FCC Proposal Could Preempt Local Broadband Permitting Authority

The Federal Communications Commission is considering new rules that could preempt local authority over broadband permitting, including project timelines, fees, and access to public rights-of-way. The FCC is considering new federal standards aimed at speeding up wireline broadband deployment. The proposal includes mandatory timelines for local approvals and potential limits on the fees local governments can charge providers. The National Association of Counties (NACo) is actively engaging with the FCC as the rulemaking moves forward.…

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August 26, 2026
Read more about the article Local Governments Sue DHS Over Election Rules Tied to Homeland Security Grants
Elections / Emergency Management / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use
Local Governments Sue DHS Over Election Rules Tied to Homeland Security Grants

Four local governments have sued the US Department of Homeland Security over new election-related conditions attached to federal homeland security grants, the latest challenge to requirements that have already raised concerns in Maryland. Harris and El Paso Counties in Texas, Nashville and Davidson County in Tennessee, and Columbus, Ohio, filed the lawsuit on August 17 in the US District Court for the District of Columbia. The local governments argue DHS and the Federal Emergency Management…

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August 24, 2026
Read more about the article Federal Court Blocks FBI Headquarters Move, Reinstates Greenbelt Plan
Proposed FBI headquarters at the Greenbelt Metro site in Prince George’s County (Image courtesy of Prince George’s County)
County News / Economic Development / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use
Federal Court Blocks FBI Headquarters Move, Reinstates Greenbelt Plan

A federal judge has overturned the federal government's decision to relocate the future FBI headquarters to downtown Washington, DC, reviving Greenbelt as the leading site for the long-planned project. As covered in a Maryland Matters article, in a ruling issued on August 17, US District Judge Theodore Chuang found that the FBI and General Services Administration (GSA) acted unlawfully when they abandoned the previously selected Greenbelt site in favor of the Ronald Reagan Building in…

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August 18, 2026
Read more about the article Senator Van Hollen Connects With Counties at #MACoCon
NACo and Federal Issues / Summer Conference
Senator Van Hollen Connects With Counties at #MACoCon

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…

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August 17, 2026
Read more about the article Senate Continuing Resolution Delays OMB Grant Rule
County News / NACo and Federal Issues
Senate Continuing Resolution Delays OMB Grant Rule

A key provision in the Senate's FY 2027 Continuing Resolution would temporarily block the Office of Management and Budget from finalizing its proposed Uniform Guidance rule, preserving stability for counties while advocacy efforts continue. The US Senate's Fiscal Year 2027 Continuing Resolution includes language preventing the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from finalizing its proposed changes to the Uniform Guidance through December 11. The provision also closes a potential loophole that could have allowed OMB…

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August 6, 2026
Read more about the article Federal SNAP Changes Leave 36,000 Marylanders Without Food Benefits
Maryland Department of Human Services Data Office
County News / Health and Human Services / NACo and Federal Issues
Federal SNAP Changes Leave 36,000 Marylanders Without Food Benefits

Data from the Maryland Department of Human Services offers a detailed look at how recent federal SNAP changes are affecting residents across the state.  As in a Baltimore Banner article, nearly 36,000 Marylanders have lost Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits since federal changes enacted through the HR 1 took effect, according to data from the Maryland Department of Human Services. SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program, provides monthly food assistance to eligible…

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July 30, 2026
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