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Will County committee hears federal reconciliation, budget and transportation updates from Smith Garson
Summary
Federal lobbyists from Smith Garson briefed the Will County Board Legislative Committee on the reconciliation process, the president's FY26 "skinny" budget and the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization, noting large proposed shifts in domestic and defense spending.
Members of the Will County Board Legislative Committee on the federal update heard an overview of ongoing reconciliation work in Congress, the president's recently released fiscal year 2026 "skinny" budget and early hearings on the next surface transportation bill.
The presentation was delivered by Brett Garson, CEO of Smith Garson, who said the House has begun hearings and markups on reconciliation and that the Senate is expected to use its reconciliation process on budget, taxing and revenue measures. "It's very busy in Washington. I think, you know, a lot of us have been watching what's going on with, the reconciliation process," Garson said.
Garson told the committee the president released a FY26 "skinny" budget that proposed substantial cuts to domestic discretionary programs and a large increase in defense spending. He said the document showed "roughly a $163,000,000,000 cut in domestic discretionary programs from fiscal year 2025," which he described as about a 22% reduction, and about "$1,010,000,000,000 in defense spending," which he characterized as roughly a 10% increase from FY25 levels. He also said the House Ways and Means Committee and agriculture committee will be closely involved, and that the budget process will prompt agency budget justification hearings and bill markups.
Garson and colleagues also told the committee that work is beginning on the next surface transportation authorization, typically a five-year bill, and that hearings are underway in both chambers. He warned the current federal transportation law lapses in September 2026 and said House and Senate committees — including House Transportation and Infrastructure and Senate Environment and Public Works — have begun to review program needs.
Committee members did not take formal action on the presentation. Garson said lobbyists would send a written update and links to the committee later the same day; the committee acknowledged receipt and closed questions without further formal direction.
The briefing provided context for local officials tracking federal funding for transportation, defense-related grants and domestic discretionary programs that could affect county programs and grants.
