Washington Report – March 31, 2025

APWA’s Government Affairs Committee (GAC), President Dominick Longobardi, President-elect Vic Bianes, CEO Scott Grayson, and the APWA Government Affairs team are meeting with key congressional committees, members, staff, and federal agencies April 1-2;
GAC meets in D.C. each spring to share APWA’s Public Policy Priorities, and real world, practitioner-level expertise and the impact of federal legislation, laws and regulations on public works;
This year’s meetings include time with U.S. Dept. Of Transportation senior policy staff, the Federal Communications Commission Homeland Security Bureau, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) Senior Policy Advisor and Coalitions Director, U.S. House Public Works and Infrastructure Caucus Co-Chair Representative Dina Titus (D-NV), and key staff working for House and Senate Committees with jurisdiction over public works related legislation effecting transportation, reauthorization of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, water resiliency priorities, emergency management, cybersecurity, workforce development, and more;
Follow APWA Government Affairs on X and LinkedIn for updates.

The Wastewater Infrastructure Pollution Prevention and Environmental Safety Act (WIPPES) has been reintroduced in this Congress;
The bill’s bipartisan and bicameral supporters issued a press release that includes the bill text;
Last week, APWA joined with partner organizations in a letter applauding the reintroduction of the WIPPES Act in the new session of Congress;
In the previous 118th Congress, APWA was active in promoting the WIPPES Act and strongly advocated for its passage, along with public and private sector partners, and industry, calling for changes to packaging and labeling to inform consumers and help prevent damage to our wastewater systems by making sure non-flushable wipes are accurately labeled;
The House passed its bill during the 118th Congress last summer, and the Senate did not.

This year’s Water Week Policy fly-in is taking place in Washington, D.C. April 8-9;
APWA is again a partner supporting the fly-in activities taking place in the nation’s capital and APWA’s Government Affairs team will be participating;
Additional information and resources related to Water Week are available here;
Share any Water Week activities happening in your community on social media and tag APWA Government Affairs on X and LinkedIn.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has published a request for comments from the public and other interested stakeholders sharing their experiences with FEMA during disasters;
This is a prime opportunity to provide the crucial public works professionals perspective related to working with FEMA by submitting your professional feedback;
If you would like to submit comments directly to FEMA, include Docket Number DHS-2025-0013 in the subject line of the message; you may do so by sending them to the FEMA Review Council by May 15;
Additionally, share your comments with APWA by sending them to Government Affairs Manager Marty Williams at mwilliams@apwa.org.

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee conducted a hearing last week on Reforming the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Bringing Common Sense Back to Federal Emergency Management;
Members of Congress, as well as the panel of witnesses, agreed with varying sense of urgency, that the status quo for FEMA is not sustainable pertaining to disaster response and recovery efforts – including efforts to streamline the process for customers to apply for and receive vital assistance;
There was an additional consensus that FEMA policies and guidelines must be thoroughly examined and adjusted where needed to better assist and work with state, local, tribal, and territorial partners;
Also, Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL) and Representative Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) have introduced the FEMA Independence Act of 2025;
If enacted, the bill would call for the following changes:
- Moving FEMA from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) oversight into a new stand-alone cabinet level agency
- Re-naming the title of “administrator” to “director” as the agency head, while still being nominated by the President, requiring U.S. Senate confirmation.

FEMA has announced revisions to the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard Policy 206-24-005 (FFRMS);
The intent of the revision is to reduce the total rebuild timeline in disaster-impacted communities;
The FFRMS requirements apply to FEMA-direct actions and grant-funded actions under Grant Programs Directorate (GPD), Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA), Individual Assistance (IA) and Public Assistance (PA) involving new construction, substantial improvement, and repairs to address substantial damage;
FEMA will use the 1% annual chance (100-year) floodplain and flood elevation for non-critical actions and the 0.2% annual chance (500-year) floodplain and flood elevation for critical actions, which would include projects such as the construction of fire and police stations or hospitals to determine whether a proposed action for federal funding resides in a floodplain;
Additionally, this change will not impact FEMA’s Flood Insurance Rate Maps, as it does not apply to the National Flood Insurance Program’s mapping process.

The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Weather Service (NWS) have released their Spring 2025 Weather Forecast;
This forecast, compiled by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.

Take 1-2 minutes today to contact your U.S. Representative about the recently re-established U.S. House Public Works & Infrastructure Caucus;
Based on your zip code, if your U.S. Representative is already a member, a pre-generated email thanking them for joining will be sent; if your U.S. Representative has not yet joined, pre-generated language urging them to join will populate;
Your participation in these action alerts is critical in amplifying APWA’s voice in Washington, D.C. even more;
The caucus, originally established in 2016, plays an invaluable role in helping to educate Members of Congress and their staff about the importance of public works and infrastructure;
Click here to email your lawmakers, then share the link;
Text PWX to 52886 to receive alerts via text message.

(All times ET)

April 1 at 10 a.m., the House Committee on Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee will hold a hearing on Cybersecurity is Local, Too – Assessing the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program;
April 1 at 2 p.m., the House Committee on Homeland Security Border Security and Enforcement Subcommittee and Emergency Management and Technology Subcommittee will hold a joint hearing on Exploring the Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Across the DHS Enterprise;
April 2 at 10 a.m., Dept. of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will testify before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Constructing the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill: U.S. Secretary of Transportation’s Perspective;
April 2 at 10 a.m., the Senate Energy and Commerce Committee is holding a hearing with the Deputy Secretary nominees for the Departments of Interior and Energy.