Insights on Government Relations

On June 16, the District of Columbia held its primary election — the first conducted under the District’s new ranked-choice voting (RCV) system.

The 2027 DC budget would deliver significant new funding, programs, and policy changes to rental housing across the District of Columbia, affecting all parties involved, like tenants, landlords, and developers.

The 2027 DC budget proposes substantial investments in health care access, behavioral health services, and public health infrastructure across the District of Columbia. Nearly four in 10 DC residents depend on Medicaid, the Basic Health Plan, or the locally funded Alliance program for coverage.

The 2027 DC budget would make sweeping investments in education across the District of Columbia, from pre-kindergarten through higher education and adult literacy. The budget supports nearly 100,000 public and public charter school students, increases per-student funding, restores critical childcare programs at risk of deep cuts, and expands career and technical education.

ArentFox Schiff is pleased to announce that 68 attorneys were recognized as leaders in their field and 25 practices spanning the firm’s litigation, regulatory, and transactional capabilities, as well as key industries, were ranked among the best in the country in the 2026 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.

On May 29, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and over 40 federal agencies jointly issued a proposed rule that would significantly change the government-wide framework for grants and cooperative agreements and clarify that what is currently called “guidance” will, as amended, be a binding regulation.

One week after the US House of Representatives passed a Farm Bill that expressly integrates food security into national security, Congressman John Moolenaar, Chairman of the Select Committee on China, and 13 bipartisan cosponsors introduced a standalone bill that would take significant additional steps aimed at safeguarding US national security and food security.

With the release of the DC Board of Elections’ (DCBOE) official ballot for the 2026 District party primaries on June 16, the field is now set for one of the District’s most consequential local elections in the 50 years since Home Rule.

On March 26, President Trump signed a new executive order (EO) imposing mandatory anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) clauses in all federal contracts and subcontracts, with key compliance deadlines beginning as early as April 25.

As many FBA members know by now, the FBA realized a significant and longstanding objective in December of 2025 with the enactment of the Foundation
of the Federal Bar Charter Amendments Act.

ArentFox Schiff, in collaboration with Consilio, will host the 2026 Chicago Pharma Forum on May 6, 2026, bringing together pharmaceutical industry leaders and in‑house counsel in the Chicago area for a full day of discussion and networking.

This alert summarizes recent developments regarding the District of Columbia’s attempt to decouple its local tax laws from the federal One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) (Public Law 119-21), the congressional response disapproving of the District’s action, and the ongoing legal dispute between District officials over how to administer the 2025 and 2026 tax filing seasons.

The healthcare group purchasing industry continues to provide critical market savings to hospitals, nursing homes, and medical practices throughout the United States – even as a panoply of issues place undue strain on healthcare supply chains – according to the 20th Annual Report of the Healthcare Group Purchasing Industry Initiative (HGPII).

On February 3, President Trump signed a $1.2 trillion funding package into law just hours after the House passed the Senate’s amended version of the FY2026 appropriations package, H.R. 7148, ending a brief partial government shutdown that began in the early hours of January 31.

The District of Columbia has enacted the Extreme Heat Eviction Protection Amendment Act of 2025, which amends the Rental Housing Act of 1985 to prohibit housing providers from evicting tenants on days when extreme heat conditions are predicted.

ArentFox Schiff is pleased to announce the launch of its Longevity & Healthspan Industry Group, a cross-sector initiative supporting the rapidly expanding ecosystem of companies advancing anti-aging innovation, wellness, and preventive health.

The 2026 District of Columbia elections may be the most consequential elections since the advent of home rule in 1975. Against a backdrop of greater federal intervention into the city’s affairs, depleting federal resources, and local budget pressures, many of the city’s most important local offices will have new leadership after the elections in November.

Government Relations Partner Elizabeth Horner will participate in a webinar about the impact of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) on clean energy deployment in the US on November 10, 2025.

In the midst of a record-setting government shutdown, partisan divisions are deep, and legislating can appear zero-sum.

ArentFox Schiff has been awarded 62 top rankings in the 2026 edition of Best Law Firms®, which recognizes firms for professional excellence based on consistently positive ratings from clients and peers.

Partner Elizabeth Horner was featured on a special episode of Energy Gang podcast recorded live at the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) Grid Forum in Washington, DC.

On October 21, the DC Council voted 9-4 to exempt most two-to-four-unit properties owned by individual landlords who do not own more than two housing properties in DC from the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) under the revised RENTAL Act.

The Rebalancing Expectations for Neighbors, Tenants, and Landlords (RENTAL) Act of 2025, as amended, brings sweeping reforms to District housing laws.

As the federal funding deadline of September 30, 2025, approaches, this alert highlights four possible scenarios and their potential implications.

In July, then-Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) announced that he would be “relinquish[ing] the gavel” to allow him to “put Georgians’ interests first.”