Blank Rome Government Relations LLC (BRGR) provides the Weekly Washington Update to inform you of recent developments in Congress and Washington. For information on President Trump’s Executive Orders and other actions, please see our Executive Order Tracker.
Budget, Tax and Small Business
Ways and Means Hopefuls Lay Groundwork Bids for Next Congress: House members from both parties are positioning themselves for seats on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee in the next Congress. If Democrats win control of the House, the committee could add nearly 10 new members, opening opportunities for newer lawmakers such as Reps. Emilia Sykes (D-OH), Hillary Scholten (D-MI), Gabe Amo (D-RI), and Andrea Salinas (D-OR). On the Republican side, Reps. Glenn Grothman (R-WI), Tony Wied (R-WI), and Brian Jack (R-GA) have been mentioned as possible additions. Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA) and Chair Jason Smith (R-MO) are expected to remain the committee’s top leaders regardless of the membership changes.
The turnover will also trigger a significant reshuffling of committee and subcommittee leadership positions, marking one of the largest transitions on Ways and Means in years. The departures of several senior members will reduce representation for states including Florida, Texas, Arizona, Iowa, and Connecticut, creating pressure to restore geographic balance. Potential candidates such as Scholten and Salinas argue that serving on the committee would strengthen representation for their districts and states, particularly on issues involving taxes, trade, health care, and economic development. (BGOV)
Bessent Says President Trump May Speed Deficit Cut Plans if Democrats Win: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration is preparing a fiscal consolidation plan aimed at reducing the federal budget deficit and may seek to move it through Congress during the post-election lame duck session if Democrats win control of either the House or Senate in the November 2026 midterms. Bessent, working with OMB Director Russ Vought, argued that losing a chamber would make it harder to advance the administration’s agenda, prompting a faster push for deficit-reduction measures before the new Congress is seated in January 2027. While few details have been released, the plan could address the federal government’s nearly $2 trillion annual deficit, which has grown due to pandemic-era spending and recent tax and spending policies. Bessent has not said whether the proposal would include entitlement reforms, such as changes to Medicare or Social Security, or tax increases. (BGOV)
Defense And National Security
Democrats Plan Oversight on Secretary Hegseth if They Win in November: Congressional Democrats are preparing an aggressive oversight campaign targeting Secretary Pete Hegseth if they regain control of Congress in the November elections, with plans for hearings, investigations, information requests, and potentially subpoenas focused on issues including the Iran war, Pentagon business dealings, military leadership purges, troop conditions, and alleged politicization of the armed forces. Several Democrats, including Pat Ryan (D-NY), Jason Crow (D-CO), Adam Smith (D-WA), and Robert Garcia (D-CA), argue that Republicans have failed to adequately scrutinize the administration and say a Democratic majority would hold Pentagon leadership accountable. Some lawmakers have also raised the possibility of impeachment proceedings against Hegseth, building on an impeachment resolution introduced earlier this year, though such efforts would face significant political hurdles. Republicans continue to defend Hegseth, with supporters praising his leadership, but Democrats contend his tenure has been marked by controversy, lack of transparency, and decisions they believe have jeopardized military readiness and oversight. (Politico)
US Army Eyes November ‘Shoot-Off’ for Low-Cost Interceptors: The U.S. Army is planning a competitive “shoot-off” at White Sands Missile Range in November 2026 to evaluate low-cost interceptor systems as part of a broader effort to rapidly expand affordable air and missile defense capabilities. According to Army munitions modernization chief Lieutenant General Frank Lozano, the initiative responds to lessons from conflicts in Ukraine and Iran, which demonstrated how inexpensive drones and missiles can impose significant costs when defended against with high-priced interceptors such as Patriot missiles. After receiving roughly 147 industry proposals, the Army is opening the competition not only to prime contractors offering complete interceptors but also to companies that can supply key components, with contract awards expected by the end of the year. The effort aligns with the Trump administration’s push for weapons that can be produced cheaply and at scale, addressing concerns about depleted U.S. interceptor stockpiles and the need for mass-produced defenses against large-scale threats from adversaries such as Iran and Russia. (BGOV)
Transportation, Trade, And Commerce
Transportation Department Launches New SPACE Task Force to Unleash Commercial Space Innovation: The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the creation of the Space Policy Administration, Coordination, and Execution (SPACE) Task Force, an internal body led by Under Secretary Ryan McCormack that will coordinate and implement the Trump Administration’s National Space Transportation Policy. The task force is intended to expand launch infrastructure, streamline regulations, better integrate commercial space operations into the national airspace system, and strengthen U.S. competitiveness in the growing commercial space sector. Secretary Sean Duffy said the initiative aims to preserve American leadership in space transportation amid competition from China, noting that the United States accounted for 217 of 329 global commercial space launches in 2025 and could see FAA-licensed launches and reentries grow to 10,000 annually by 2035. The task force will include representatives from multiple DOT offices and agencies and complements recent DOT efforts to develop new launch routes, support spaceport construction, solicit ideas for new spaceports, and accelerate commercial space licensing. (U.S. Department of Transportation Press Release)
Energy And Environment
Energy Department Closes $1.9 Billion Loan to Restart Duane Arnold Nuclear Plant: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the financial close of a loan of up to $1.9 billion to NextEra Energy to support the restart of the Duane Arnold Energy Center in Linn County, Iowa, bringing Iowa’s only nuclear power plant back online after its 2020 shutdown. The project is expected to restore 615 megawatts of baseload electricity capacity, enough to power nearly 500,000 homes, while creating approximately 1,500 construction jobs and supporting more than 450 operational jobs. DOE officials said the restart advances the Trump Administration’s goal of expanding U.S. nuclear energy capacity, strengthening energy security, lowering electricity costs, and meeting rising power demand. Pending approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the plant will return reliable nuclear generation to the Midwest grid and represents the third nuclear plant restart financed by DOE under the current administration. (U.S. Department of Energy Press Release)
Natural Resources and Native American Issues
BLM Proposes Rule to Streamline Oil and Gas Permitting in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has proposed a new rule aimed at accelerating oil and gas development in Alaska’s 23-million-acre National Petroleum Reserve by creating a streamlined permitting process for routine infrastructure and production activities. Rather than requiring lengthy case-by-case reviews, projects that meet predefined criteria and demonstrate similar environmental impacts could qualify for faster approvals. The agency says the proposal is based on more than two decades of environmental analysis and permitting experience in the region and is intended to reduce regulatory delays while maintaining environmental protections.
The proposal is part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to expand domestic energy production and follows recent actions to reopen much of the reserve to leasing and development. BLM officials argue the rule will provide greater regulatory certainty for industry, encourage investment, create jobs, lower energy costs, and generate revenue for Alaska communities. The proposed rule will be published in the Federal Register with a 60-day public comment period ending November 9, 2026. The announcement also notes that approximately 3.5 million acres are currently leased in the reserve following a March 2026 lease sale that generated more than $163 million in bids and set several leasing records for the NPR-A. (Bureau of Land Management Press Release)
DOE’s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation Announces $73 Million to Advance Domestic Mining Technology: The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation announced $73 million in funding for four “Mine of the Future” projects aimed at advancing domestic mining technology and strengthening U.S. critical mineral supply chains. The selected projects, led by Innovative Wireless Technologies, the University of Arizona, the University of Missouri, and Southern Methodist University, will establish real-world mining testbeds across several states where new technologies for automation, connectivity, electrification, sensing, energy management, and mineral processing can be developed and validated under field conditions. DOE officials said the initiative supports the Trump administration’s goal of reducing dependence on foreign sources of critical minerals by accelerating commercialization of innovative mining technologies, improving productivity and safety, and creating workforce training opportunities for the next generation of miners and engineers. (U.S. Department of Energy Press Release)