Trump administration

The Trump administration has denied an appeal for $33.7 million in FEMA relief funds for flood damage incurred in western Maryland, which ends the possibility of aid for a state already reeling from job losses.

The Southeast Pennsylvania Transportation Authority is facing federal deadlines after a series of fires. 

The government shutdown is wreaking more havoc as air traffic controllers will miss a paycheck this week and federal payments to states for housing bonds and Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle bonds may stop flowing.

California's largest health workers union sent ballot language to state Attorney General Rob Bonta in an effort to add a wealth tax proposal to the November 2026 ballot.

The spending cuts and reforms to Medicaid and SNAP in the One Big Beautiful Bill will be phased in through 2028, but most states will start preparing early next year.

Cities are responding to a state directive to remove symbols on crosswalks and other so-called distractions or risk losing state and federal funding.

Its triple-A bonds have recovered after cheapening earlier this year under a pressure campaign from the Trump administration.

Maryland's Capital Debt Affordability Committee is recommending the state stick to its guns by endorsing a plan to borrow up to $1.75 billion for capital projects in the coming fiscal year, despite the job shedding inflicted by the Trump administration's plans to shrink the federal government.

R. Wade Norris has joined the Washington, D.C., office of Dinsmore & Shoal as a partner to shore up operations in the firm's work in multifamily finance and public private partnerships.

Federal Reserve Gov. Stephen Miran said Thursday that the central bank's forays into examining climate change and racial justice under the prior administration politicized the Fed. He also argued that Fed officials should limit their comments on economic policies such as tariffs.

The Trump administration's tariff policy is affecting vulnerable pockets of the economy including the construction industry, port operations and states with a reliance on international trade.

The Senate passed the ROAD to Housing Act, which should boost the use of mortgage revenue bonds, as a rider on the Defense Reauthorization Act.

The longer the shutdown of many federal government operations lasts, the worse it becomes for cities, states and other bond-issuing entities.

Bond attorneys are skeptical that new hires at the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service will help the municipal bond community as two men now occupy four key positions.

The Department of Transportation is offering its Consolidated Transportation Bonds in a competitive sale Wednesday to what promises to be a receptive market.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also defended the administration's funding freeze on major New York transit projects.

The City Council is exploring possible bond sales to expand Metro service for the NFL stadium slated to replace RFK Stadium, which is being demolished.

The Department of Transportation pulled funds from the Gateway Project and the Second Avenue Subway extension, citing alleged "DEI" violations.

If approved, the $6 billion federal RRIF loan would be "quite positive at this juncture," an investor said.

The CTA's funds have been "put on hold to ensure funding is not flowing via race-based contracting," Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought said.