Executive Summary  with Chat GPT assistance – Week of August 4, 2025 - See full detail below

Congressional Recess

• Congress is in recess until September 2. No major legislative action expected until then.
• Next update will be provided following lawmakers’ return.

Senate Appropriations Action

• Senate passed first FY 2026 “minibus” appropriations package, including:
  • Military Construction–Veterans Affairs
  • Agriculture
  • Legislative Branch
• Passed with broad bipartisan support (87-9 and 81-15 votes).
• Aims to build momentum for more contentious funding negotiations in September.
• Deadline pressure: Lawmakers must fund the government before FY 2026 begins on October 1.
• A continuing resolution (CR) is expected, possibly extending into the new year.
• Democrats anticipate a potential rescissions package from the Trump administration.

Disaster Relief Legislation

• Senate Homeland Security Committee unanimously approved the Disaster Assistance Simplification Act (S. 861):
  • Would create a universal disaster aid application across federal programs.
  • Enables secure data sharing between FEMA and other agencies.
  • Aims to reduce delays, confusion, and administrative burdens.
  • Includes privacy and cybersecurity safeguards.
  • Momentum growing: House bill (H.R. 4669) includes similar reforms.

FEMA Preparedness Grants

• FEMA opened applications for nearly $1 billion in FY 2025 grants.
• Programs include:
  • Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP)
  • Port and Transit Security Grants
  • Cybersecurity, Earthquake Hazards, Fire Training
  • Emergency Food and Shelter, Continuing Training, and more.
• Comes amid internal debate over potential FEMA program streamlining.
• Notices confirm programs remain active and funded for now.

New Mortgage Forbearance Bill for Disaster Survivors

• Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) introduced the Mortgage Relief for Disaster Survivors Act (S. 2569):
  • Mirrors COVID-era CARES Act mortgage relief.
  • Offers 6-month forbearance, extendable to 12 months, for federally backed loans.
  • Covers both federal and state/tribal disaster declarations after Jan. 1, 2025.
  • Relief would come without added interest, fees, or penalties.
  • Still early in the process; no Republican support yet, and may face industry pushback.

Interior Department: New Gateway Communities Order

• New Secretarial Order from Interior Secretary Burgum directs NPS to:
  • Meet quarterly with local gateway communities.
  • Consider community input in management, fees, and planning decisions.
  • Designate Gateway Community Coordinators at each park.
  • Incorporate community engagement metrics into park superintendent evaluations (starting FY 2026).
  • Utilize cooperative programs for transportation, housing, and emergency services support.
  • Annual progress reports will guide future adjustments.
• Special districts encouraged to proactively engage with their local parks.

Interior Department: New Energy Project Siting Policy

• New Secretarial Order prioritizes “capacity density” in evaluating energy projects on federal lands.
• Higher-capacity projects (nuclear, natural gas, coal) favored over land-intensive renewables (wind, solar).
• Projects must maximize energy per acre to gain approval.
• Could limit new wind/solar development on federal lands.
• No outright ban, but federal permitting may become harder for lower-density renewable projects.

FULL UPDATE:

House and Senate Action

Congress is currently in recess until September 2. Barring any major developments, the next edition of the Federal Advocacy Update will be sent after lawmakers return from the August break.

Senate Approves Minibus Spending Package

Before departing for the August recess, the Senate passed its first fiscal year (FY) 2026 appropriations package, a key step as lawmakers brace for a tight timeline to avoid a government shutdown this fall. The “minibus” package combined three broadly supported spending bills: Military Construction–Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and Legislative Branch. The measures cleared the chamber with strong bipartisan support, including an 87-9 vote on the first two bills and an 81-15 vote on the third.

Senate leaders hope advancing these consensus bills will give them leverage in the more contentious negotiations that await in September, particularly with the House advancing lower topline spending levels and controversial policy riders.

When lawmakers return, they’ll have just four weeks to reach a broader funding agreement before the October 1 start of the new fiscal year. A continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government open is all but certain, with some House Republicans already pushing for a longer-term stopgap that could extend into the new year.

Adding to the uncertainty, Senate Democrats are preparing for the possibility that the Trump administration will pursue another rescissions package this fall, an action that could further complicate full-year funding negotiations. To help keep talks on track, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) sent a letter to their Republican counterparts earlier today requesting a bipartisan leadership meeting.

Despite the challenges, Senate appropriators have made up significant ground in recent weeks. With eight of the twelve FY 2026 bills now approved in committee, leadership hopes to move additional full-year spending measures in September, even if a short-term CR is ultimately needed to avoid a shutdown.

Senate Panel Approves Disaster Assistance Simplification Act

Last week, the Senate Homeland Security Committee unanimously approved legislation – the Disaster Assistance Simplification Act (S. 861) that would help streamline the federal disaster aid process for survivors. Specifically, the measure would require FEMA to create a universal application for all federal disaster programs, eliminating the need for disaster victims to submit multiple, and often redundant, applications to different agencies. This streamlined process is intended to reduce administrative burdens and accelerate recovery.

Under current law and practice, disaster survivors must navigate a patchwork of agency-specific applications. This fragmented process can delay relief, create confusion, and discourage some from applying altogether. By consolidating the application process, the legislation would improve access to programs like FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program and the Small Business Administration’s disaster loans.

In addition to establishing a unified application, the legislation authorizes FEMA to securely share applicant information with other federal agencies involved in disaster response. This enhanced coordination is intended to eliminate redundant paperwork, speed up aid delivery, and reduce administrative burdens. It should be noted that the bill includes strict safeguards to ensure that all data sharing complies with federal privacy and cybersecurity standards.

The Disaster Assistance Simplification Act also gained bipartisan support in the previous Congress, where it passed the Senate but ultimately stalled in the House. However, momentum for reform appears to be building. A newly introduced FEMA reform package (H.R. 4669) includes similar provisions to streamline disaster assistance.

FEMA Announces Nearly $1 Billion in Disaster Preparedness Grants

FEMA has opened applications for nearly $1 billion in funding through 15 grant programs aimed at strengthening disaster preparedness and resilience. The announcement follows internal discussions within the agency regarding possible reductions to several of these programs. Internal memos, first reported last week, outlined a proposal to streamline FEMA’s operations by narrowing the agency’s grant portfolio. However, the newly released Notices of Funding Opportunity affirm that these programs remain active and funded for the FY 2025 cycle.

A selection of open programs includes:

• Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP)
• Port Security Grant Program
• Transit Security Grant Program
• State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program
• Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program
• Emergency Food and Shelter Program
• National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Assistance
• National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium
• Continuing Training Grant Program
• National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP)
• State Fire Training Assistance 

Sen. Schiff Proposes Mortgage Forbearance Relief for Disaster Survivors

Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) recently introduced legislation – the Mortgage Relief for Disaster Survivors Act (S. 2569) – aimed at providing long-term mortgage forbearance to homeowners impacted by disasters. The bill closely mirrors provisions from the 2020 CARES Act, which offered similar mortgage relief during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the proposal, borrowers with federally backed mortgages would be eligible to request an initial six-month forbearance period, with the option to extend for an additional six months. It should be noted that the relief would not be limited to federally declared disasters. It would also apply to state and tribal disaster declarations issued on or after January 1, 2025. The forbearance would come with no added fees, interest, or penalties.

Homeowners affected by disasters can currently request relief from their mortgage lender, though the process often results in inconsistent outcomes. While some lenders offer short-term relief (typically around 90 days), there is no guaranteed access to extended forbearance. This bill aims to establish a more predictable and equitable national standard for disaster survivors.

Although the proposal is still in its early stages, it has yet to attract Republican support and may face opposition from the mortgage industry, particularly around the requirement to honor forbearance across a broader range of disaster declarations.

Interior Department Issues Order to Strengthen Coordination with Gateway Communities

On June 25, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum issued a Secretarial Order directing the National Park Service (NPS) to strengthen its coordination with gateway communities. The new order formalizes and expands engagement between the NPS and local governments, creating a structured framework to ensure that local voices are included in park planning and decision-making. 

Under the order, each park unit is required to meet with local officials at least once per quarter and to consider community input when developing management plans, visitor use strategies, and fee proposals. Park units must also provide early notice and consultation before advancing any action that could affect local access, tourism, or regional economic activity.

To further support gateway communities, the NPS is directed to utilize cooperative agreements and existing programs – such as the Challenge Cost Share Program and the Federal Lands Access Program – to help address community needs related to transportation, housing, and emergency services. In addition, every park will designate a Gateway Community Coordinator to serve as a dedicated liaison for local engagement and to ensure that community perspectives are incorporated into park operations. Accountability measures are also being introduced, with park superintendents’ performance evaluations beginning in FY 2026 to include metrics tied to community engagement and responsiveness.

To track implementation and guide future improvements, the NPS director must submit a baseline report within 180 days detailing current engagement practices, followed by annual updates highlighting progress, challenges, and best practices. These reports will help inform future departmental planning and policy adjustments.

Special districts are encouraged to engage proactively with their local park units, monitor outreach efforts, and use this new framework to advocate for local infrastructure investments, service improvements, and economic development priorities.

Interior Department Issues New Order Prioritizing High-Density Energy Projects on Federal Lands

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum recently issued a Secretarial Order aimed at reshaping how energy projects are evaluated and permitted on federal lands. The directive emphasizes “capacity density” as a key factor in determining whether proposed energy developments represent an appropriate use of federal resources.

Under the new policy, the Department of the Interior is directed to prioritize energy developments that maximize energy output while minimizing environmental and land-use impacts. The Order highlights traditional energy sources (such as nuclear, natural gas, and coal) as having substantially higher capacity densities compared to wind and solar projects, which typically require much larger land areas to produce similar levels of electricity.

When more land-efficient alternatives are considered technically and economically feasible, the Order suggests that lower-density projects (i.e. large-scale wind or solar installations) may no longer be approved for siting on federal lands.

While the Department has not instituted an outright ban on renewable projects, this policy shift could have a significant impact on new wind and solar developments on public lands. Projects that do not meet a newly emphasized threshold for energy generation per acre may struggle to secure federal permits.