After a Senate vote on Sunday evening, Congress appears closer to ending the record-setting government shutdown. The Senate advanced a funding package that includes appropriations for military construction and calls for the reinstatement of all furloughed federal employees.

Stark cloudy weather over empty exterior view of the US Capitol

The extended duration of the October 2025 shutdown, which will soon be the longest in history, adds a new level of uncertainty and pressure for federal contractors and subcontractors. Does the shutdown excuse the government from paying invoices that come due during the shutdown? Can the government require contractors to work without payment? What relief can contractors expect for delays, cost increases, and other impacts of the shutdown? What options are available for contractors and subcontractors that are simply unable to perform without timely payment?

The Department of Transportation has issued an interim rule that makes significant changes to the eligibility rules and administration procedures used in the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise programs and Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program. The DBE and ACDBE programs were established to provide opportunities to small businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged…

The Trump administration’s push to downsize the federal workforce has entered a new phase, marked by rounds of layoffs, the deferred-resignation plan, and other voluntary departure programs. As the federal government shutdown enters its second week, the administration has escalated its response by threatening sweeping program cuts and workforce reductions.

As the administration continues its…

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Our colleagues in Husch Blackwell’s Real Estate, Development & Construction industry group—with a notable assist from Kyle Gilster (head of our Public Policy practice) and Cortney Morgan (head of our International Trade group)—have published 2025 Project Perspectives, a 22-page report discussing trends and developments affecting alternative project delivery and public-private partnerships (P3s).

Last week, President Trump issued Executive Order 14332, Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking. The order imposes a new review process to realign discretionary grant awards and ensure that any future grants issued under this Administration align with the President’s policies. Here’s an overview of what grant applicants and potential recipients should be aware of before pursuing your next award.

In a recent legal update, Husch Blackwell explores new guidance from the Department of Justice on how federal antidiscrimination laws—including Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972—will be interpreted to apply to recipients of federal funding, in conjunction with Executive Order 14173 (“Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity”). While the guidance lacks the force of law, it captures the administration’s enforcement posture on what it considers to constitute “illegal DEI.”

Main street

For over 60 years, the Small Business Administration has celebrated Small Business Week to highlight the contributions of small and medium-sized businesses to the national economy. The Trump Administration marked this year’s Small Business Week celebration with a proclamation noting the benefits of its public policy initiatives, especially those pertaining to tariffs and deregulation. The proclamation, issued on May 5, 2025, promises that small businesses will benefit directly from the Trump Administration’s policy initiatives, which will result in increased access to capital, improved opportunities for public and private investment, and assistance exporting products on a global scale.

In this post, we look at current policy initiatives aimed directly at improving opportunities for small business contractors.