For unknown reasons, the United States is always in a sour mood on its big birthdays.
On the day it hit the big 5-0 in 1826, not one but two Founding Fathers and ex-Presidents (Thomas Jefferson and John Adams) died within hours of each other.
In its centennial year, America was suffering through the “Long Depression” triggered by the Panic of 1873. Meanwhile, the bitter presidential race between Republican Rutherford B. Hayes and Democrat Samuel Tilden was hurtling towards its contentious conclusion: with electoral votes disputed, the race was thrown to the House. Eventually Hayes prevailed in the infamous Compromise of 1877, when Democrats acceded to Hayes’ victory in exchange for assurances that federal troops would be withdrawn from the South – a move widely regarded as the end of Reconstruction and the start of Jim Crow.
And the nation’s 1976 bicentennial took place in the dark shadows of Vietnam and Watergate, when the White House was occupied by the only chief executive elected to neither the presidency nor the vice presidency, and amidst the unstoppable menace of polyester leisure suits.
So perhaps it’s no surprise that America’s 250th birthday comes at a time of discord and anxiety. Between the economic worries wrought by inflation and the war in Iran, political discord between and within the parties, and growing worries about AI, a lot of Americans are approaching the semiquincentennial with some degree of angst.
Despite the challenges, Americans remain a stubbornly optimistic people, resilient in the face of hardship and always hopeful for the future. So whether your Independence Day plans tend towards barbecues and fireworks, or to endless doomscrolling on social media, take a moment to reflect on how this crazy experiment in democracy has endured for a quarter of a millennium, and counting.
Congress Passes Housing Bill With Small Permitting Reforms – But Will it Become Law?
A good example of the political discord that’s coloring the current mood happened last week, when strong bipartisan majorities approved the most significant housing reforms in decades, only to see President Trump refuse to sign it into law.
The 21st Century Road to Housing Act includes a wide array of provisions intended to spur the construction of more housing and make it more affordable, a top concern for Americans. The bill passed the House 358-32 and the Senate 85-5, almost unheard of levels of cross-aisle support in these partisan times.
But on Wednesday, even as a signing ceremony in the Capitol was set to begin, Trump announced on social media that he would not sign the bill until Congress passed an election reform bill he has been touting. The bill, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, lacks enough votes to pass the Senate, but that has not deterred the President.
The housing bill isn’t dead; if the President takes no action, it will become law automatically in 10 days if Congress remains in session.
The bill contains a number of provisions designed to streamline environmental reviews, including measures to exempt certain housing projects funded by federal agencies from environmental studies, expand the use of Categorical Exclusions under NEPA for some housing projects, and to direct the Department of Housing and Urban Development to develop guidelines and best practices for state and local zoning and land use policies including streamlining state and local environmental review policies.
The bill does not address Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act or state and local cultural resource reviews. But the broad nature of some of the language could give agencies some latitude in how they interpret it. Assuming the bill becomes law, ACRA will closely monitor the rulemaking process.
Joint Base Myer Henderson Hall Hosts Public Open House on Proposed Demolition
Joint Base Myer Henderson Hall (JBM-HH) – home to several historic living quarters dating from the late 1800s and early 1900s – is hosting a public open house regarding the proposed demolition of some of its Officer Quarters.
In 2024, Congress directed the U.S. Army to move occupants out of and demolish Quarters 13, 14 and 15 at Fort McNair in Washington, DC. JBM-HH has determined that this demolition is an undertaking under Section 106.
Quarters 13, 14, and 15 are historic properties eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. JBM-HH is required to coordinate with the Section 106 consulting parties, including the D.C. State Historic Preservation Office, to execute a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to resolve the adverse effect to these historic properties and stipulate appropriate mitigation.
The open house is intended to provide the public with the ability to give input on appropriate mitigation measures. The open house will be Tuesday, July 14, 2026, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the DC Public Library, Southwest Location, 900 Wesley Place, SW, Washington, DC 20024, in their Large Meeting Room.
Interested parties also may submit written comments about the proposed undertaking no later than August 13, 2026, to: ATTN. Cultural Resources Program Manager, Directorate of Public Works – Environmental Division 111 Stewart Road, Building 321, Fort Myer, VA 22211 or CENAB-FortMcNair_GFOQDemo@usace.army.mil
Additional information about the proposal and process is available online at https://home.army.mil/jbmhh/teamJBMHH/about/Base/environmental-management-division-1.
EPA Proposes Changes to Its NEPA Regulations
Joining other federal agencies that are changing their regulations implementing NEPA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a proposed rule to amend its NEPA procedures.
According to EPA the proposed rule would incorporate changes to NEPA enacted by recent legislation and Trump administration Executive Orders, and reflect the 2025 Supreme Court decision in the Seven Counties case that narrowed the scope of NEPA reviews.
EPA is accepting comments on the proposed rule until July 27, 2026. The ACRA Government Relations Committee is reviewing the proposal to assess its impact on Section 106 reviews.