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.

Top of the News:

  • Midterm Races Could Reshape House Appropriations Committee - The 2026 midterm elections could significantly reshape the House Appropriations Committee, as several senior Republican and Democratic appropriators face competitive races. 
  • Feinberg Secures Ally Support to Remain Pentagon’s No. 2 - Stephen Feinberg retained support from the Trump administration and congressional Republicans, who view him as key to strengthening the defense industrial base and reducing reliance on China despite criticism over delays and procurement reforms. 
  • President Trump Advocates Fuel Export Ban as Prices Climb - President Trump is weighing restrictions on U.S. diesel exports to curb high fuel prices, despite warnings from industry and some officials that the move could disrupt markets and increase costs over time. 
  • Midterms Fuel Leadership Competition on House Transportation Committee - If Democrats win the House, expected Transportation Committee Chair Rick Larsen (D-WA) would face pressure from new progressive members as the panel tackles major transportation legislation and leadership changes. 

Budget, Tax and Small Business

House Appropriations Could Get Election Shakeup: The future of the House Appropriations Committee could be significantly reshaped by the 2026 midterm elections, as several key appropriations leaders are facing highly competitive races. Defense Subcommittee Chair Ken Calvert (R-CA) is locked in a costly incumbent-versus-incumbent contest against Young Kim (R-CA) after California redistricting, while Legislative Branch Subcommittee Chair David Valadao (R-CA) is defending a newly Democratic-leaning district. A loss by either lawmaker would create leadership vacancies on influential spending panels, potentially altering the committee’s leadership structure and priorities in the next Congress.  

Democrats are also closely watching races involving senior appropriators. Energy and Water Subcommittee Ranking Member Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), who has served since 1983, faces a difficult reelection battle in a more Republican-leaning Ohio district, while Homeland Security Subcommittee Ranking Member Henry Cuellar (D-TX) is fighting to hold his Texas seat. If Democrats regain the House majority, both members could play major roles in shaping spending bills under the Trump administration, particularly on politically sensitive issues such as infrastructure, energy, homeland security, and immigration. The outcomes of these races will help determine not only control of the House but also who writes and oversees federal spending legislation in the years ahead. (BGOV) 

Defense and National Security

Pentagon’s Feinberg Wins Backing From Allies to Keep No. 2 Job: Stephen Feinberg, the deputy defense secretary and former head of Cerberus Capital Management, appears to have survived an internal effort to replace him after senior Trump administration officials concluded he is essential to the Pentagon’s evolving strategy of using government-backed investments and private-sector partnerships to strengthen the defense industrial base, secure critical minerals, and reduce reliance on Chinese supply chains. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly backed Feinberg, saying he has his “100% full support,” while administration officials reportedly viewed him as central to a major second-term priority: applying Wall Street-style investment practices to accelerate weapons production and national security supply chain resilience.  

Feinberg’s position had come under pressure earlier this year due to criticism over delays in replenishing U.S. munitions stockpiles, slowed implementation of defense-industrial investments, and resistance from contractors over new procurement and cost-disclosure requirements. Despite those concerns, Pentagon leaders and congressional allies argued that removing him could disrupt key modernization efforts and trigger the departure of staff recruited from the private sector to lead major investment initiatives. Republicans on Capitol Hill also reportedly pushed for leadership stability at the Pentagon, viewing Feinberg as critical to rebuilding the U.S. arsenal and maintaining continuity ahead of the midterm elections. (BGOV) 

President Trump Says Two New US Bases Coming to Greenland: President Trump announced that the United States, Denmark, and Greenland have signed a new security agreement that significantly expands the U.S. military presence in Greenland, including plans to build two major new bases in Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig while modernizing and expanding operations at Pituffik Space Base. The agreement also allows the U.S. to seek additional military facilities and is designed to prevent strategic competitors such as China and Russia from establishing a military foothold or making sensitive investments in Greenland without U.S. approval. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen endorsed the deal as beneficial for all parties, emphasizing its role in strengthening Arctic security and allied cooperation. The agreement follows months of tensions sparked by Trump’s earlier statements about acquiring Greenland and concerns among NATO allies, but ultimately formalizes a long-term U.S.-Greenland-Denmark security partnership focused on Arctic defense and geopolitical competition. (The Hill) 

Trade and Tariffs

President Trump Says He’s Pushed for Fuel Export Ban Amid Price Crunch: President Trump said he has urged his advisers to consider a ban on U.S. diesel exports as diesel prices reach record highs, driven by disruptions linked to the wars in Iran and Ukraine. The administration is evaluating whether a full or partial export ban is feasible, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent saying officials are studying the impact on refining capacity and fuel markets. The proposal comes amid growing political pressure over high energy costs ahead of the midterm elections, with several Republican lawmakers, including Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), expressing support for some form of export restriction.  

However, the idea faces significant opposition from the energy industry and some administration officials. Critics, including Energy Secretary Chris Wright, the American Petroleum Institute, and other industry groups, argue that while an export ban could temporarily increase domestic diesel supplies and lower prices, it would ultimately discourage refining and production, potentially leading to even higher fuel costs. Analysts also warn that restricting exports could create shortages abroad, fuel inflation in Europe and Latin America, and produce uneven effects within the United States because of transportation and infrastructure constraints. (BGOV)

Transportation

Midterms Spur Leadership Jockeying on House Transportation Panel: If Democrats win control of the House in the 2026 midterms, significant turnover on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee could reshape its priorities and leadership. Expected chair Rick Larsen (D-WA) is viewed as a bipartisan, centrist leader who has worked closely with current Chair Sam Graves (R-MO), but an influx of progressive and democratic socialist members could push the committee toward more aggressive investments in public transit and away from highway-centric funding. At the same time, the committee faces a packed agenda, including air traffic control modernization, Coast Guard reauthorization, and potentially a major surface transportation bill if current negotiations remain unfinished. Numerous retirements are creating leadership openings on both sides of the aisle, setting up competition for key subcommittee positions and making the panel's future direction one of the more consequential questions for the next Congress. (BGOV) 

Bill Banning Chinese Cars Moves Closer to Senate Vote This Week: Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) is seeking rapid Senate approval of the bipartisan Connected Vehicle Safety Act (S. 4429), which would effectively bar Chinese-made vehicles with wireless connectivity from being imported or sold in the United States beginning in January 2027. Supporters, including Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), argue the measure is necessary to prevent Chinese automakers from gaining access to the U.S. market through expanding sales in Canada and Mexico, and are using the timing of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington to highlight national security concerns. The legislation has drawn attention from major industry stakeholders, including General Motors Co., Subaru Corp., Honda Motor Co., Waymo LLC, and the Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association, all of which have lobbied on the bill this year. (BGOV) 

Energy and Environment

Judge Rules EPA Unlawfully Cancelled Billions in Solar Funds: A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration’s cancellation of the EPA’s Solar for All program was unlawful, finding that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) exceeded its authority by attempting to rescind all $7 billion in Solar for All funding when Congress had only directed the agency to recover unobligated funds. The case was brought by Harris County, Texas, which had been awarded a $250 million grant to support solar panel installations in low-income and disadvantaged communities. Judge Tanya Chutkan determined that the EPA violated the Administrative Procedure Act, vacated the agency’s termination decision, and rejected the EPA’s argument that the dispute belonged in claims court. While the judge did not immediately order restoration of Harris County’s grant, the ruling is another setback for the administration’s efforts to claw back climate-related funding and follows several recent court decisions striking down similar EPA actions. (Reuters) 

Natural Resources and Native American Issues

Construction Begins on First Section of Controversial Road from King Cove to Cold Bay: Construction has begun on the first segment of the long-disputed 19-mile road intended to connect King Cove, Alaska, with Cold Bay’s all-weather airport, following a September 16 ruling by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals allowing work to proceed on the initial 2.8-mile stretch located outside the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge. Although a federal judge voided a key 2025 land exchange that had enabled the broader project, the court declined a request from environmental group Defenders of Wildlife to halt work on the portion owned by the King Cove Native Corporation. According to local officials, a crew of about 30 workers is currently focused on quarrying and crushing rock for road base material, with roughly one-third of the workforce drawn from local residents. Community leaders say the project remains popular in King Cove, expect to complete the first section by year’s end, and plan to appeal the federal ruling that invalidated the land exchange. (Alaska Public Media)