Engage with the 118th Congress to achieve key county priorities and strengthen the intergovernmental partnership.

County Advocacy Opportunities in Washington, D.C.

Eighty former county elected officials will serve in the 118th Congress: 67 in the U.S. House, including 12 first-term Representatives, and 13 in the U.S. Senate. This will provide county leaders with a unique opportunity to leverage existing relationships and institutional knowledge to advance county priorities in Washington, D.C. 

These early months of this congressional session are a key time for county leaders to build relationships with members of Congress, demonstrate the impact of your county’s efforts in your communities and advocate for the federal programs that help to strengthen local programs and initiatives. These opportunities to interact with your Representatives and Senators are especially critical because they coincide with the development of the policy priorities that Congress will work to achieve over the next two years. With a split Congress and the slim majorities held by both Democrats in the U.S. Senate and Republicans in the U.S. House, bipartisan compromise will continue to be necessary to advance county priorities through legislation.

View the Full Toolkit

Related News

Image of naco-logo-canvas_xxneedsborder_0_0.jpeg
Press Release

County Leaders Advocate for FEMA Act in Visit to Washington, D.C.

 Nearly two dozen county leaders from 15 states are in attendance this week at a National Association of Counties (NACo) fly-in focused on disaster reform.

THE_County Countdown_working_image-4.png
Advocacy

County Countdown – October 20, 2025

Every other week, NACo's County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership. This week features

Image of Capitol-closeup_2.jpg
Press Release

Counties Encourage Federal Government Partners to End Shutdown

NACo today issued a statement encouraging a speedy, bipartisan end to the federal government shutdown.

THE_County Countdown_working_image-4.png
Advocacy

County Countdown – October 6, 2025

Every other week, NACo's County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership. This week features a federal shutdown FAQ, overdose prevention funding and more.

THE_County Countdown_working_image-4.png
Advocacy

County Countdown – September 22, 2025

Every other week, NACo's County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership. This week features a short-term funding bill introduced to avert shutdown, new Rural Health Transformation Program and more.

Image of Capitol-side_2.jpg
Advocacy

House passes clean Continuing Resolution to fund the government through November 21

On September 16, the U.S. House passed the text of the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026 to extend government funding at current levels through November 21.