San Antonio outlines federal legislative priorities and $326 million in federal grants as city readies response to fast-changing Washington actions

San Antonio officials on Feb. 5 presented a citywide federal legislative program and a department-by-department accounting of federal grants included in the fiscal year 2025 adopted budget, and said they will monitor rapidly issued federal executive orders for potential local effects.

"Of the city's $3,900,000,000 federal grants make up about 8.3% of the total adopted budget or $326,000,000. These grants fund a total of 758 authorized positions," Justina Tate, the city's budget director, said in the presentation to Mayor Nirenberg and the council.

The program, presented by government affairs staff and the city's federal consultants, is organized around seven pillars: economic and community development; military protection; public safety and homeland security; infrastructure resiliency and transportation; workforce; public health and human services; and an "advancement of community interest" pillar meant to capture emerging federal issues. Staff said the program reflects priorities they expect to pursue with the city's federal delegation and outside consultants in Washington.

Why it matters: The briefing combined two functions — a near‑term status report on how executive actions in Washington could affect city programs, and a longer‑running agenda used to coordinate lobbying and grant work with members of Congress, federal agencies and the city's Aiken Group consultants. Council members repeatedly pressed staff for clarity about which programs and vulnerable populations would be protected if federal funding or policies change.

Key details from the budget overview

- Total federal grants in the FY2025 adopted budget: about…