Last week, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced the awarding of $21 million in Partnership Planning grants to 101 entities, after being temporarily paused.
The EDA Stakeholder Coalition sent a letter to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees urging them to reject the proposal to eliminate the EDA in Fiscal Year 2026.
On May 16, 2025, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce has rescinded the latest six funding awards previously announced under the Tech Hubs Program and will be reopening the application process, with certain modifications. The previously awarded projects, announced in January 2025, were described by Secretary Lutnick as being “rushed, opaque, and unfair.” He noted that the awards were made without available funds and were based on “outdated applications, lacking proper competition.”
For the first time in 20 years, Congress has reauthorized the US Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA). On January 4 2025, the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (S. 4367) was signed into law, following its passage in the House and Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support. The reauthorization of the EDA will strengthen and protect EDA’s programs and will enhance key initiatives that are vital to the success of NADO members and Economic Development Districts across the country.
The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) voted to advance the Economic Development Reauthorization Act of 2024 (S. 3891) by voice vote on March 12. This legislation, if enacted, would reauthorize the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) for the first time in nearly 20 years.
As August recess approaches, Congress continues to work through the annual appropriations process for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026. While some progress has been made, there is still a long road ahead to avoid a government shutdown and ensure stable funding for key federal programs.
On June 18, Senate HELP Committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-VT) reintroduced the Older Americans Act (OAA) Reauthorization Act.
On February 9th, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the Housing in the 21st Century Act by a vote of 390-9. The package impacts nearly every federal housing tool used by local governments, regional development organizations, and rural communities, and for the first time, creates a new regional housing planning grant program for which NADO members are directly eligible.
On June 17, 2025 a federal judge ruled that the EPA’s termination of $600 million in environmental justice grants, previously issued by the Biden administration, was unlawful.
As of October 1, the federal government has officially entered a shutdown following Congress’s failure to enact annual appropriations legislation before the end of the fiscal year on September 30, 2025.