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City hears federal grants, earmarks and shutdown risks from Becker & Poliakoff lobbyists
Summary
Becker & Poliakoff update: the firm said the city secured roughly $13.5–$13.7 million in grant awards this year, reported $12.5 million in preliminary earmarks for FY2025 and warned that a congressional continuing resolution could delay funding or trigger a short government shutdown.
Becker & Poliakoff lobbyists told the Virginia Beach City Council on March 4 that the city has secured several federal grants and earmarks but faces uncertainty from the congressional appropriations process.
The firm said the city had received about $13.5 million to $13.7 million in grant funding this year, had $12.5 million in preliminary earmarks in the FY2025 appropriations process and cited a larger figure referenced as $247.93 million in the final budget process (context not specified at the meeting). The presentation stressed that a continuing resolution (CR) in Congress could delay or freeze many awards and that a failure to resolve FY2025 funding could lead to a short government shutdown.
Alfonso Lopez, a Becker & Poliakoff representative, described the firm’s role: “we are a national law and lobbying firm with over 50 years experience,” and said the firm leverages bipartisan contacts to press the city’s priorities on Capitol Hill. Anthony Bedell, the firm’s co-lead on transportation and appropriations matters, warned that “if they don't work that out, it's potentially you'll see a government shutdown at the end of next week.”
Becker & Poliakoff listed several specific awards and projects the firm said it helped advance or track: roughly $3.9 million for Rudy Inlet work, $3 million for Alaskan Road Phase 1B, $693,000 for Creeds training facility and $400,000 for an Army Corps coastal zone management study. The presentation also cited funding lines the firm attributed to ongoing or prior federal programs: HUD Continuum of Care support, approximately $1.6 million for homeland security grants used through Port Security and Urban Search & Rescue programs, about $6.3 million in CDBG grants and Byrne JAG funds for community policing. Becker & Poliakoff said the Army Corps, OMB and White House offices were among the agencies the firm engages to advance Corps of Engineers priorities for the city.
The consultants urged patience while federal funding decisions play out and recommended contingency planning with city staff if FY2025 appropriations are held in a CR. Bedell said some agencies are already releasing funds and gave the Virginia Port Authority’s $344 million clean ports award as an example of money that was frozen and later reopened. Lopez added that the firm is working on parallel tracks for FY2025 and FY2026 appropriations and on authorization packages such as the surface transportation reauthorization and the Water Resources Development Act.
Council members asked about which grants the city staff obtains directly versus those where the firm assists; Lopez said formula grants are handled by staff while Becker & Poliakoff focuses on competitive and earmark-type funding and congressional engagement. The firm also said it helps with executive summaries and positioning grants to match new administration priorities—cited as safety, innovation, job growth and return on federal investment.
The presentation included operational advice for the council and staff: monitor agency-by-agency responses to executive orders and appropriation actions, expect some awards to move more quickly than others, and coordinate with the city manager and legislative affairs staff on which projects to resubmit if funding is delayed.
Ending: Council members commended staff and the consultants for their work and discussed the need for contingency budgeting if federal awards are delayed. Becker & Poliakoff said it will continue regular updates to the council and the city team.
