National Association of Towns and Townships - www.natat.org
How Townships can access clean energy tax credits in the form of direct pay/transferability
2025 NATAT Policy Platform
NATaT Tax Priorities
NATaT Transportation Reauthorization Priorities
NATaT December 2024 Annual Meeting
Jerry B. Crabtree, Heidi Fought (Ohio ED), Past President Neil Sheradin (Michigan Ed), and NATaT President Dave Sanko (PA ED)
NATaT Weekly Legislative Report
September 29, 2026
Congressional Outlook
The Senate heads back to Washington Monday evening to finish out the chamber’s last legislative work week before joining the House on recess until after the November 3 midterm elections. The TFG Legislative Update will return with Congress following the October recess, on Monday, November 9.
While the House has fully shifted into midterm election campaign mode, the Senate opted to remain in Washington longer to complete additional work before Election Day. Its first priority is final passage of the Protect College Sports Act of 2026 (S. 4668), which establishes rules for name, image, or likeliness (NIL) agreements for college athletes. The bipartisan college sports bill, led by Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), allows college athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness and establishes transfer and eligibility rules for college athletes; a final vote could come as soon as Monday night. Some Senate Republicans have questioned whether this should be their last major legislative move before the midterms, arguing that voters are more focused on affordability heading into November. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) also plans to bring up the House-passed Ratepayer Protection Act (H.R. 9340), which directs states to consider strategies requiring data centers to cover the costs of their own grid upgrades rather than passing those costs on to other utility customers. The House passed the bill by a vote of 417-3 before leaving for recess earlier this month. The Senate also announced plans this morning to vote on the House-passed bill that would restrict members of Congress and their families’ ability to trade and purchase certain investments and also impose new voter ID requirements, the Stop Insider Trading Act (H.R. 7008). The Senate may also vote on two House-passed Congressional Review Act (CRA) disapproval resolutions (H.J. Res. 210 & H.J. Res. 213) nullifying California emission waivers relating to the state’s standards for ships that are docked at harbors and certain harbor craft, such as pilot boats; the waivers, issued by the Environmental Protection Agency during the Biden administration, allow California to set stricter emissions standards than elsewhere in the country.
The Trump administration canceled $810 million in previously appropriated funds through a "pocket rescission," a maneuver that lets withheld money simply lapse at the end of the fiscal year without the formal 45-day congressional review normally required. The bulk of the cut, $567 million, hits Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) refugee resettlement programs, with additional reductions to Education Department migrant student assistance ($25 million), State Department international exchange programs ($70 million), health research ($28 million), and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) housing counseling services ($56 million). Bipartisan appropriators have pushed back, with Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) calling the move unlawful and vowing to address it, while House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) described it as an illegal impoundment of funds Congress already approved.
The Senate will hold 16 committee hearings and markups over the course of this week, including a Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Disaster Management, District of Columbia, and Census hearing on Rogue AI: Securing the Homeland Against AI Agent Attacks. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will continue consideration via an open business meeting to mark up roughly 54 bills, including a bill to amend the Aquifer Recharge Flexibility Act (S. 1254), which amends the Aquifer Recharge Flexibility Act to clarify a provision relating to conveyances for aquifer recharge purposes. The remaining measures cover energy and utility policy (FERC interconnection reform, lightbulb efficiency standards, electricity supply chain reporting), the weatherization assistance program, and several historic site, memorial, and museum designations.
Week in Review
White House cancels health, education funds approved by Congress
White House seeks to pressure Democrats to move faster on permitting reform deal
Senate GOP defeats resolution directing Trump to end Iran war as more Republicans sour on conflict
Senate approves legislation targeted at pilot, air traffic control mental health guidance
Ernst, Miller-Meeks Bill to Strengthen U.S. Manufacturing Heads to President’s Desk