Congress has begun work on reauthorizing federal surface transportation programs ahead of the September 30, 2026 expiration of current authorities. On May 22, 2026, the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure approved the BUILD America 250 Act (H.R. 8870) by a bipartisan vote of 62-2, advancing a five-year, $580 billion surface

With the House having passed its Farm Bill and Senate Republicans preparing to release their own proposal, attention is increasingly focused on the next phase of Farm Bill reauthorization. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) has indicated that Senate Republicans are working toward releasing legislative text and beginning committee

Photo courtesy of Louisiana Central As economic development continues to evolve, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: long-term economic vitality depends on stronger connections between economic development, education, workforce development, employers, and community leadership. That is the idea behind Rally Your Region, a new initiative launched by

A new global economic order is emerging, powered by profound geopolitical shifts, remilitarization and technological acceleration. These and other disruptive dynamics, complex, chaotic and still in formation, are already shaping the economic fortunes of cities, metropolitan areas, and states. The world has, once again, become a dangerous, polarized

One of the themes I return to every time I speak is the importance of collaboration: between communities, between industry, and across economic development, workforce development, housing, childcare, and infrastructure. Collaboration is the future of economic development. So, when I get to travel to a place where that is happening, across all those areas,

When the lights go out, people often go to churches first. As Hurricane Helene tore through south and coastal Georgia in 2024 it passed near numerous African Methodist Episcopal (AME) churches and devastated the communities surrounding them. It was to these churches that many community members turned for support, resources, and guidance in the aftermath.

The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is pleased to announce that 41 individuals have been awarded the Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) designation following a multi-part examination process conducted in April 2026.  “Economic developers play a vital role in shaping the future of their communities. They drive investment,

Trust functions as the infrastructure that connects institutions and enables the flow of information, capital, and opportunity across entrepreneurial ecosystems. Over the past century, economic development has evolved from a primary focus on exports, business attraction, and incentives to a more complex, layered system that includes industrial clusters,