Feb 06, 2026

Barbed Wire   |   federal issues Padilla Introduces Two Bills to Bolster California’s Water Supply and Drought Resilience

On February 4, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) introduced a pair of bills to help address growing water supply challenges in California and the American West as severe droughts, warming temperatures, limitations on groundwater pumping, and outdated infrastructure compound California’s water scarcity issues.

Jan 30, 2026

Barbed Wire   |   federal issues Appropriations Update

The U.S. Senate reached a late-day agreement on Thursday, to avert a broad shutdown of the federal government, by splitting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding measure away from the remaining five full-year appropriations bills. If the Senate successfully advances the measure, attention would turn to the House of Representatives

Jan 30, 2026

Barbed Wire   |   federal issues U.S. Senators Introduce Legislation to Support Lake Tahoe Conservation Efforts

On January 27, California Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla, along with Nevada Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen introduced the Santini-Burton Modernization Act, which would deliver more funding to protect the Lake Tahoe Basin with no new costs to taxpayers.

Jan 30, 2026

Barbed Wire   |   federal issues USDA Forest Service Issues Revised Oil and Gas Leasing Rule

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service finalized revisions to its regulation governing federal oil and gas resources on National Forest System lands. The revision modernizes and streamlines the process for managing energy development across millions of acres

Jan 23, 2026

Barbed Wire   |   federal issues Appropriations Update 

On January 22, the U.S. House of Representatives passed its four remaining appropriations bills…

Jan 23, 2026

Barbed Wire   |   federal issues Health Care: Post-ACA Subsidy Lapse and Congressional Activity

This week, Congressional leaders have coalesced around a narrower bipartisan health care package focused on pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reforms and safety-net funding.

Jan 16, 2026

Barbed Wire   |   federal issues Interior to Launch U.S. Wildland Fire Service

​On January 12, the Department of the Interior announced it is taking the next step to establish the U.S. Wildland Fire Service. Currently, wildland fire management responsibilities within the Department of the Interior (DOI) are distributed across multiple bureaus and offices

Jan 16, 2026

Barbed Wire   |   federal issues White House Unveils Health Care Affordability Framework

On January 15, the White House released a fact sheet outlining an affordability framework, dubbed the “Great Healthcare Plan”, which aims to lower prescription drug prices and insurance premiums without extending the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) expired tax credits. The plan calls on Congress to

Jan 08, 2026

Barbed Wire   |   federal issues House Approves SPEED Act, Setting Up Senate Talks

On December 18, the House passed the SPEED Act (H.R. 4776) in a 221–196 vote, marking the first major permitting reform vote of the Congress and setting up a high-stakes Senate negotiation in 2026.

Jan 08, 2026

Barbed Wire   |   federal issues House of Representatives Advances Bill to Delist Gray Wolf

On December 18, the House of Representatives passed the Pet and Livestock Protection Act (H.R. 845), which would  remove the gray wolf from protections under the Endangered Species Act and return wildlife management authority to the states