Capitol to Capitol | May 12, 2026

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Administration Updates

FEMA Review Council Releases Final Recommendations

The FEMA Review Council, a group of emergency management experts, federal partners and elected officials, released its final report with nonbinding recommendations to shift disaster relief responsibilities to the states, decrease federal spending on disaster assistance and streamline assistance programs by decreasing administrative burdens on state, local, tribal and territorial governments and individuals. The council also recommends restricting individual assistance to those whose homes are completely uninhabitable, privatizing the National Flood Insurance Program and changing the FEMA Public Assistance program to a direct funding model where cost estimates and audits are accelerated and streamlined. Many of the recommendations would require congressional action, but some, such as reducing administrative costs, could be achieved through executive order or regulatory changes. The council was created by executive order in 2025.

Census Bureau and Postal Service Form Pilot Program

The U.S. Census Bureau selected Huntsville, Ala., and Spartanburg, S.C., as 2026 test sites to evaluate how partnering with the U.S. Postal Service could strengthen future census operations. About 154,600 households in both areas were invited to complete the survey online May 1, with in person follow up. Starting June 1, census takers, including postal workers, may begin visiting households that do not respond to the online surveys. The pilot will compare two staffing approaches to determine how postal employees can support efficient and secure in field enumeration for the 2030 census. Read the bureau's news release.

EPA Announces Grants to Protect Waterways From Sewage

The Environmental Protection Agency announced $81 million in funding to strengthen stormwater systems to help prevent contaminants from entering nearby waterways. The funds are available for fiscal years 2025 and '26 through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant Program.

Federal Railroad Administration Announces $1.1B for Railroad Crossing Elimination

The administration is offering $1.1 billion to improve highway-rail and pathway-rail grade crossings. States and political subdivisions are eligible to apply for funding through the FY 2025-2026 Railroad Crossing Elimination Program. NCSL's Standing Committee on Transportation has advocated for the continuation of state-supported crossing safety programs.

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