Summer 2025 - Flipbook - Page 6
his colleagues in the court’s decision - he recused himself from the matter in December before the
court heard oral arguments.
Administration’s proposed 2026 budget aims to slash discretionary spending
Late afternoon on May 30th, the Trump administration published additional information on its
proposed budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026. The latest documents build on the "skinny budget”
request—released May 2nd — and provide more details on how the White House would like
Congress to fund the government in the coming 昀椀scal year. Overall, the Trump administration is
asking lawmakers on Capitol Hill to cut the federal government’s discretionary spending by 22 percent
in FY2026 when compared to funding levels enacted for FY2025.
Among the requested cuts are a 54 percent decrease in funding for the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, a 17 percent cut to the overall Department of Commerce budget, and an 11 percent
decrease in discretionary funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act at the Department
of Transportation. The proposed spending cuts are not uniform department wide. The White House
is seeking greater reductions at certain programs housed within larger departments, such as the
proposed 27 percent cut to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and a 28 percent
spending cut at National Institute of Standards & Technology for the coming 昀椀scal year.
The White House’s proposed budget for FY2026 is not a done deal - Congress has ultimate authority
on government appropriations.
As FAA nominee advances, Trump taps Katherine Scarlett to lead CEQ
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on June 25th approved Bryan
Bedford’s nomination to lead the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) by a 15-13 party line vote.
Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Aviation, Space, and
Innovation Subcommittee Ranking Member Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) expressed opposition because
Bedford declined to commit to maintaining the FAA’s requirement that commercial pilots receive 1,500
hours of 昀氀ight training.
Bedford currently serves as CEO of Republic Airways. Since the Senate Commerce Committee’s
June 11th hearing on his nomination, Bedford has acknowledged that he does not possess a
commercial pilot’s license, despite previously claiming to have one. Bedford’s nomination awaits
con昀椀rmation by the full Senate.
As his picks for agency leadership continue to advance, President Donald Trump nominated
Katherine Scarlett to lead the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). During Trump’s
昀椀rst administration, Scarlett worked at CEQ and later served as a sta昀昀 member for the Senate
Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW). Scarlett’s nomination was received in the
Senate and referred to the EPW Committee on June 16th. If con昀椀rmed, Scarlett will play a major role
in overseeing the federal environmental review process that impacts various infrastructure projects.
www.asce.org/ewri • EWRI Currents • Volume 27 Number 3 • Summer 2025
