On May 21–22, local leaders from across the country convened in Washington, D.C. for the National League of Cities’ 2025 State Municipal League (SML) fly-in: a two-day event focused on lobbying priorities directly with federal decision-makers. Against the backdrop of a shifting federal landscape and key legislation in motion, SML leaders elevated the real-time needs of communities through meetings on Capitol Hill and with federal agency officials and intergovernmental affairs officials inside the White House.
Grounded in NLC’s biannual Federal Action Agenda, the fly-in focused on a strategic subset of priorities aligned with the current congressional cycle and administration actions. The agenda emphasized both defense (preserving the tools cities rely on) and offense (advancing ideas to make federal programs work better for local governments).
Day One: Hill Meetings and Local Impact
Following a welcome lunch and briefing at NLC headquarters with CEO Clarence Anthony and the Federal Advocacy team, attendees kicked off a full day of targeted congressional engagement. Meetings highlighted the breadth of federal programs local governments are engaging with, and where they need clearer rules, more flexible access, or protection from harmful rollbacks.
Given the status of negotiations on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, key meetings included those with senior legislative staff from Committee and Leadership offices with jurisdiction over some of the most pressing policy priorities impacting municipal operations proposed in this legislation.
Attendees met with senior staff from Senate Minority Leader Schumer’s office and from the House Ways and Means Committee to reiterate the importance of protecting Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax credits and grants programs, avoiding abrupt rescissions that disrupt long-term local planning and preserving tax-exemption status of municipal bonds in financing infrastructure, housing and economic development.
They also heard from House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and Senate Environment and Public Works Committee staffers on the status of reauthorizing the federal transportation bill. Attendees reiterated both the transformative impact federal transportation grants have had on their communities and suggested opportunities to remove burdensome barriers in the competitive grant application process for small to mid-size municipalities.
Attendees also provided feedback on additional priorities that are top of mind for local governments once the major spending bills of the 119th Congress advance, including reducing burdens on accessing federal funds for disaster relief and recovery efforts through the FEMA Act of 2025, as well as the need for municipal liability protection in water infrastructure legislation to address PFAS regulation compliance.
Day Two: Executive Branch Engagement
On Thursday, the focus shifted from Congress to the Administration. SML leaders met with senior officials from the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and representatives from key agencies who stressed their commitment to partnership and the Administration’s commitment to federalism.
Attendees had conversations with intergovernmental affairs staff from the Department of Transportation (USDOT), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Budget and Management (OMB), Small Business Administration (SBA), Department of Labor (DOL), Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the status of the federal grant review process and impacts to essential projects in their communities.
Topics of conversation included the status of delayed DOT grant approvals, HUD Community Planning and Development programs such as CDBG and HOME and how the Administration envisions field office coverage and technical assistance for zoning reform. Additionally, attendees underscored the importance of local recovery needs ahead of an active 2025 natural disaster season and the importance of strong federal partnership and support to ensure communities are prepared and ready to respond.
Takeaways and Next Steps
The 2025 Fly-In surfaced both urgency and opportunity: local governments are making meaningful use of federal tools, but face real-time risks if funding is rescinded or rules are rewritten midstream. Across all meetings, one message stood out:
Local governments are essential partners in federal implementation, and they must have a seat at the table when decisions are made.
Press Highlights
- Local municipalities heading to D.C. to discuss federal funding, cuts (ABC 27 Harrisburg)
- PA Cities Learn More on Potential Federal Cuts (WTRF ABC 27 Harrisburg)
- Dothan Mayor among municipal league leaders to visit Washington, D.C. (WTYV)
- Feature in POLITICO Influence newsletter (POLITICO)
- Mayor Saliba Visits DC (WRGX ABC – News 4 This Morning)
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