National League of Cities Congressional City Conference in Washington centers on housing, transportation and federal-local coordination

Local officials gather in the capital as cities press federal priorities

The National League of Cities (NLC) is holding its 2026 Congressional City Conference in Washington, D.C., with main conference programming scheduled for March 16–18 and pre-conference events beginning March 14. The meeting is being hosted at the Washington Marriott Marquis, drawing municipal elected officials, local government staff and partner organizations for policy briefings, workshops and scheduled advocacy with federal lawmakers.

The conference is structured around general sessions, issue-focused panels and smaller policy roundtables, alongside governance meetings of NLC’s board and committees. Organizers have also scheduled youth delegate programming over the opening weekend and into the first day of the main conference.

Agenda highlights: housing, transportation and census preparation

Programming this week places emphasis on the interaction between federal decisions and city operations, particularly in areas where local budgets and planning depend on congressional action. A housing-focused panel brings together mayors from Redmond, Washington; Washington, D.C.; and Tempe, Arizona, as lawmakers consider housing legislation and cities continue to expand local supply, preservation and affordability strategies.

Transportation is another central topic, with a panel organized around the reauthorization debate for major federal transportation laws. Separately, a census-focused discussion addresses early preparations for the 2030 Census, including how communities can engage to improve count accuracy and planning for downstream impacts such as funding formulas and representation.

• Main conference dates: March 16–18, 2026; pre-conference programming begins March 14.
• Core themes: housing policy, transportation reauthorization, and early planning for the 2030 Census.
• Format: general sessions, workshops, policy roundtables, and meetings for NLC councils and constituencies.

Federal advocacy moves to Capitol Hill midweek

A central component of the conference is “Hill Day,” scheduled for Wednesday, March 18, when participating attendees fan out for meetings with members of Congress. The Hill Day process includes a required briefing and training session on Tuesday, March 17, designed to align participants on issue messaging and meeting logistics. Organizers indicate that Hill Day participation is limited to conference attendees who are elected officials or municipal and state municipal league staff.

The conference is designed to connect local officials with federal policymakers as cities seek alignment on legislation, funding streams and program implementation that directly affect local services.

Speaker lineup and cross-level governance focus

Plenary events feature members of Congress and other public-sector figures in sessions framed around federalism, bipartisanship and intergovernmental coordination. The published speaker roster includes U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (Kentucky), U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (Rhode Island), and multiple House members participating in issue panels and broader discussions. Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is scheduled to participate in the housing discussion alongside other city leaders.

With municipal priorities ranging from infrastructure delivery to housing availability and census readiness, the conference provides a concentrated window for city leaders to compare implementation challenges across regions while advancing shared federal policy asks during meetings on Capitol Hill.