Senator, congresswoman warn Western Maryland about federal grant freeze; spotlight broadband, ARC funds and local projects

Senator Van Hollen warned members of the Western Maryland Delegation that a recent federal order has effectively frozen a large number of discretionary grants and is creating immediate confusion for local recipients.

The pause, he said, “regarding freezing a massive amount of discretionary federal grants,” has already prompted legal action and a temporary judicial halt, and it is affecting communities that rely on federal funding for fire stations, schools, small businesses and workforce programs. He also flagged a proposed personnel change known as “Schedule F,” saying that it “would convert about 50,000 to 60,000 federal positions that are currently merit based.”

Why it matters: The delegation represents counties that receive targeted federal investments — including Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) dollars, broadband funding and community-project grants — and members said the freeze could put some planned or expected projects at risk.

Details from federal lawmakers: Van Hollen said the bipartisan infrastructure law has channeled funding into broadband buildouts in Maryland, and that the state received about $267,000,000 in federal broadband funds aimed at expanding high-speed internet. He also described a separate federal allocation “about $7,000,000,000 over 5 years” that the state manages to prioritize projects such as I‑81 and U.S. 15 improvements.

Van Hollen said his committee work has supported ARC funding, which “impacts Washington, Allegheny, and Garrett Counties,” and noted one recent award of “dollars 2000000 from that fund to address the physician shortage in Western Maryland.” He cautioned that approximately $31,000,000 in projects secured for federal fiscal 2025 remain in limbo until Congress completes its budget process.

Congresswoman April McClain Delaney emphasized two themes: broadband access and affordability, and on-the-ground advocacy for rural infrastructure. “It is important also that it's the other part of high speed Internet is is affordability because it it doesn't help if you have access and you can't afford it,” she said, urging state and federal coordination to ensure both availability and subsidized service for low-income residents. Delaney also described plans to open a satellite office in Western Maryland and said her staff was working to provide guidance to constituents affected by the grant freeze.

Other topics raised: lawfully authorized agricultural guest-worker programs (H‑2A), workforce impacts at federal facilities in the region (for example Fort Detrick and the National Emergency Training Center), and the risk that a drawn-out appropriations process could delay or cancel targeted community project funds already identified for the region.

Local response and next steps: Delegation members did not vote on federal policy during the meeting. Lawmakers asked staff to continue tracking which local projects are at risk and to coordinate follow-up with federal offices. Van Hollen and Delaney said they would continue to brief the delegation as federal guidance and court rulings evolve.

The meeting also included formal delegation business earlier and later in the agenda; those recorded votes are summarized in the delegation’s votes list (see related article).