Policy & Legislative Updates Archives

Keeping Greater Washington Connected Requires a New Mobility Mindset

Posted on March 22, 2026March 27, 2026 by Board of Trade

Transportation in Greater Washington is no longer just about traffic, transit lines, or long-planned infrastructure projects. It is about whether the region can function in a way that supports growth, access, and competitiveness in a very different economic and workforce environment than the one our systems were originally built to serve.

At our recent Executive Lunch, sponsored by United Airlines, leaders from across the region discussed what modern mobility really requires. The conversation moved quickly from airports and Metro to congestion, housing, workforce access, and regional coordination. Underneath it all was a broader question: are we designing a transportation system around how people actually live and work today?

A Strong System Still Has User Experience Gaps

There was broad recognition around the table that Greater Washington has major transportation assets. Leaders pointed to progress at Dulles International Airport, including United’s new concourse opening later this year and longer-term efforts to continue modernizing the airport experience. Participants also noted the value of transit access to both airports and the importance of major investments already underway across the region.

But one of the clearest themes from the discussion was that mobility is defined not only by what gets built, but by whether the system works in real life for the people who rely on it. Again and again, the conversation returned to time, convenience, and connectivity.

Even where transit exists, it is often neither seamless nor fast enough, nor connected enough, to compete with the flexibility people need in their daily lives. For many residents, especially outside the urban core, driving remains the only practical option. For others, transit works for some trips, but not for the cross-regional movement that increasingly defines work and life in Greater Washington. That gap between access on paper and usability in practice is where much of the region’s frustration now sits.

Mobility Is Now a Workforce and Competitiveness Issue

That challenge is bigger than commuting. When mobility systems are fragmented or inefficient, they affect where employers locate, whether workers return to offices, how students access internships and campuses, and how families manage time and opportunity.

That was one of the strongest takeaways from the lunch: mobility is no longer a standalone transportation issue. It sits alongside housing, workforce, and economic competitiveness as part of the same regional challenge. Systems originally designed around traditional downtown commuting now have to support more varied movement across the region while also responding to changing work patterns, affordability pressures, and employer needs.

What Is the Region Solving For?

The conversation also surfaced a harder but important question: what, exactly, is Greater Washington trying to optimize for?

Is the goal to reduce congestion? Supporting downtown recovery? Expanding transit access? Improving convenience? Advancing sustainability goals? Increasing economic competitiveness? In practice, the region is trying to do all of those things at once, often through systems built separately and still operating that way today.

That fragmentation remains one of the region’s biggest obstacles. Transportation systems have been developed over time across jurisdictions and agencies, with priorities that do not always align. No single project will solve that. A rebuilt bridge, a new lane, or a transit extension can help, but the broader point raised around the table was that the region needs a more integrated approach, one that reflects how people move today, not how systems were designed decades ago.

Keeping Greater Washington connected will require more than investment alone. It will require stronger coordination, a clearer focus on outcomes, and a willingness to think regionally about mobility, access, and growth. That is not a secondary concern. It is foundational to the region’s future.

To learn more about how your organization can be involved in our energy initiative, reach out to [email protected].

Insights from the Table is a membership-driven series of takeaways from our Executive Lunches, where local and regional leaders help inform the Board of Trade’s thinking and shape the work we do in a rapidly evolving environment. These conversations help surface the practical challenges, emerging priorities, and regional opportunities that matter most to Greater Washington’s future.

More on Regional Mobility in Greater Washington

Expediting Delivery of the American Legion Memorial Bridge and I-495 & I-270 Managed Lane Project

National AV Safety Forum | Autonomous Vehicles Need a Clear Path Forward in Greater Washington

What We’re Hearing Across Greater Washington This Spring

Posted on March 19, 2026March 19, 2026 by Board of Trade

There is a lot moving across the region right now.

Not all of it fits neatly into one category, and not all of it is happening in one place. Some of the biggest conversations shaping Greater Washington this spring are unfolding in Richmond and Annapolis. Others are playing out in the District, through the D.C. mayoral race, the evolving council landscape, and ongoing debates about how the city grows, governs, and competes.

Taken together, they point to something bigger: this is a moment when leadership, infrastructure, workforce, and policy decisions are converging in ways that will shape the region’s future.

Transportation is one of the clearest examples. Metro funding remains a central regional priority, not simply as a transit issue, but as part of the broader question of how Greater Washington supports mobility, access, and long-term economic growth. At the same time, conversations around autonomous vehicles continue to test how quickly local policy can keep up with emerging technologies and changing transportation models.

The American Legion Memorial Bridge is another example of how these issues are becoming more connected. What was once framed primarily as a roadway project now sits inside a broader conversation about corridor planning, congestion, transit, and multimodal investment. After the previous P3 arrangement ended, Maryland shifted toward a more expansive approach that includes transit, ridesharing, bicycle and pedestrian connections, and related improvements across the corridor. That broader lens is important, and it aligns with the kind of holistic, multimodal thinking the Board of Trade has continued to emphasize.

Energy is also becoming harder to separate from growth and competitiveness. Discussions around grid reliability, energy demand, and data centers are no longer niche policy conversations. They are increasingly tied to business investment, infrastructure readiness, cost, and the region’s long-term ability to support innovation, retain growing companies, and create the conditions for business expansion.

That broader competitiveness conversation also includes how the region supports business growth from within. Across Greater Washington, there is growing recognition that success is not only about attracting the next major employer. It is also about helping existing companies grow, scale, and stay here. That includes stronger support for firms that have moved beyond the startup stage but need better access to capital, operational guidance, and regional networks to reach the next level.

The workforce conversation is shifting too. Leaders are looking beyond immediate hiring needs to think more broadly about federal workforce transitions, changing skill demands, and how technology is reshaping the labor market. That, in turn, is putting more attention on education, certifications, and better coordination between employers and workforce systems.

Meanwhile, activity in the Virginia and Maryland General Assemblies continues to shape the landscape in real time. Budget debates, transportation funding questions, tax policy, workforce priorities, and business climate concerns are all part of that picture. These are state-level decisions, but their effects are regional.

And then there is D.C., where the upcoming mayoral race and council contests carry implications that extend well beyond campaign politics. The mayoral race reflects competing ideas about affordability, growth, labor, and development, all at a time when the city is still working through downtown recovery, fiscal pressure, and broader economic transition. That matters for the District, but it also matters for the region as a whole.

What ties all of these conversations together is not that they are identical. It is that they increasingly overlap. Mobility affects growth. Energy affects competitiveness. Workforce affects business planning and opportunity. Elections affect policy direction. State budget decisions affect regional systems. And for employers, institutions, and civic leaders across Greater Washington, those intersections matter.

That is the Board of Trade’s role in this moment: helping bring together business, policy, and civic perspectives across jurisdictions so that members are not just reacting to individual headlines, but engaging with the bigger regional picture.

Our spring calendar is taking shape around many of the issues already driving conversation across the region, from elections and legislative developments to energy, mobility, education, workforce, and business growth. These gatherings are not just opportunities to stay informed. They are opportunities to engage with peers, hear directly from decision-makers, and contribute to the conversations helping shape your business and Greater Washington’s future.

National AV Safety Forum | Autonomous Vehicles Need a Clear Path Forward in Greater Washington

Posted on March 19, 2026March 23, 2026 by Board of Trade

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speaks to a large crowd assembled in downtown Washington, D.C., for USDOT’s National AV Safety Forum.

The conversation around autonomous vehicles has moved well beyond theory. At the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National AV Safety Forum on March 10, federal officials and industry leaders made clear that the question is no longer whether this technology is advancing. It is whether government can create a regulatory path that keeps safety at the center while allowing innovation to move from pilots to real-world deployment. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) used the forum to outline a federal automated vehicle framework focused on safety oversight, removing unnecessary regulatory barriers, and enabling commercial deployment.

That matters for Greater Washington. In cities such as Phoenix and Los Angeles, AV deployment is already moving beyond pilot programs, with expanding service, transit connections, and new operational investments showing what real-world integration can look like. Yet Greater Washington still does not have a clear regional path for fully autonomous vehicle deployment.

Federal momentum is real, but local policy still determines what happens on our streets

One of the clearest messages from the forum was that federal leadership can help modernize outdated rules, set clearer standards, and build public confidence in autonomous vehicle technology, especially because many existing safety rules were written for vehicles built around a human driver. NHTSA’s framework reflects that reality.

But AV deployment will not be decided at the federal level alone. In Greater Washington, state law, local permitting, roadway ownership, emergency response protocols, and agency coordination all shape whether companies can move from testing to service.

Today, D.C.’s legal framework remains limited to testing. In Maryland, SB909 would establish statewide standards for fully autonomous vehicles, but it remains pending. In Virginia, SB670 would create a framework for commercial fully autonomous vehicles, yet lawmakers delayed action and may revisit it next year.

If federal officials are signaling that the U.S. needs clearer rules of the road, Greater Washington cannot answer with a patchwork of delays, half-steps, and conflicting local standards.

NHTSA administrator Jonathan Morrison speaks with representatives from Waymoe, ZOOX, and Auroro during the USDOT National AV Safety Forum.

The DMV’s fragmentation is not just inconvenient. It is a competitive disadvantage

This region already knows the cost of fragmentation. Transportation, land use, and infrastructure decisions are too often made jurisdiction by jurisdiction, even when the economy functions as one region. Autonomous vehicle policy is now running into that same problem. A technology that may function seamlessly in one jurisdiction becomes harder to scale if every border introduces a different set of rules, approvals, or operating conditions.

Meanwhile, the industry is not standing still. Waymo is already operating at significant scale nationally, with more than 400,000 weekly rides and nearly 200 million fully autonomous miles on public roads. In Phoenix, the company has continued expanding service and investing in U.S. fleet manufacturing. In Los Angeles, it has tested ways to connect AV service with public transit trips. Greater Washington, by contrast, is still working through the rules needed to move beyond testing.

If this region wants to attract investment, support innovation, and shape how these systems fit into transit and regional mobility, it cannot remain a market where companies can test but not meaningfully deploy.

This should not be a debate about one company. It should be a debate about the right framework

The Board of Trade’s role is not to pick winners. It is to help shape the policy environment the region needs to compete.

That means being clear-eyed about both opportunity and responsibility. AV policy should be safety-first, with transparency, clear interaction protocols for first responders and law enforcement, strong data and cybersecurity expectations, and coordination with existing transportation systems. Maryland’s pending bill offers one example of what that framework can include, from insurance and first responder interaction plans to compliance with federal safety standards and data privacy protections.

But getting the framework right is not only about managing risk. It is also about unlocking real public benefits. Autonomous vehicles can help expand mobility for seniors and people with disabilities, support first-mile/last-mile connections to transit, and reduce dangerous human driving behaviors that continue to contribute to roadway deaths. At the forum, NHTSA acknowledged AVs’ potential safety and mobility benefits while making clear that enforcement and oversight will remain essential.

For Greater Washington, this is not a theoretical debate about the future. It is a practical policy question about how we modernize our transportation system to make the region more connected, more accessible, and more economically competitive.

USDOT Secretary Sean Duff discusses autonomous vehicle safety with Waymo at USDOT National AV Safety Forum.

A clear regional path is within reach

The path forward should be straightforward. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia need to move toward a more aligned framework for testing, deployment, and commercial operation. Local governments and transportation agencies should treat AVs as part of a broader mobility strategy, especially where they can complement transit through first-mile/last-mile connections, station access, and congestion relief. And the region needs to stop confusing caution with inaction. Safety oversight and public trust are essential, but endless delay is not a strategy.

The federal government has signaled that it wants to modernize the regulatory conversation around autonomous vehicles. Greater Washington now has an opportunity to lead with a framework that reflects both innovation and responsibility.

The Board of Trade will remain actively engaged in that work, bringing together business, government, and transportation stakeholders to support a more integrated, regionally aligned approach to autonomous vehicle policy that prioritizes safety, builds public trust, and recognizes AVs as one part of a larger system for improving mobility, access, and regional competitiveness.

Check out more of where our organization is focused in the region on our Policy & Priorities page.

Engage Further on Transportation in Greater Washington

Connection Through Innovation: Highlights from the 2025 Capital Region Transportation Forum

Letter of Support: Fully Autonomous Vehicle Legislation (SB670) in Virginia

Letter of Support: Fully Autonomous Vehicle Legislation (SB670) in Virginia

Posted on March 1, 2026March 17, 2026 by Board of Trade

Update: This proposed comprehensive framework bill for commercial autonomous vehicles in the state has been postponed for a second year. The Board of Trade will continue to support legislation that brings safe and logical next-generation mobility solutions to Greater Washington.

About this Letter of Support:

In its letter of support for SB670, the Greater Washington Board of Trade urges Virginia lawmakers to advance a clear regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles. The Board argues that the bill will help position Virginia as a leader in next-generation mobility by supporting innovation, economic growth, public safety, and long-term regional competitiveness.

Submitted Letter of Support:

DOWNLOAD HERE

March 2, 2026

Dear Chair Delaney and Vice Chair Reid:

I write to express our support for SB 670 as it comes before the House Transportation Subcommittee on Innovation.

Autonomous vehicle technology is no longer experimental. It is already operating in major U.S. markets, including Phoenix, San Francisco, Austin, and Las Vegas, under structured regulatory frameworks. States that provide clear, predictable rules are attracting investment, research partnerships, and high-skilled jobs in advanced mobility. Those that hesitate are watching that innovation and capital flow elsewhere.

Virginia is well positioned to lead. The Commonwealth’s strengths in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, logistics, and advanced research make it a natural hub for
next-generation transportation systems. What is needed is regulatory clarity. SB 670 provides that framework while maintaining appropriate oversight and public safety.

Concerns about safety and workforce impacts deserve serious consideration, but they are best addressed through thoughtful policy, not delay. Properly regulated autonomous systems have the potential to improve safety, enhance traffic flow, and increase efficiency. AV deployment will also create new opportunities in fleet operations, software engineering, systems maintenance, and infrastructure modernization. The question isnot whether this technology will advance, but where the economic benefits will accrue.

As our region works to diversify beyond federal reliance and build a stronger digital-era economy, transportation innovation is directly tied to competitiveness. SB 670 signals that Virginia intends to shape the future of mobility rather than react to it.

We appreciate your leadership and thoughtful consideration of this measure and stand ready to serve as a resource as it moves forward.

Respectfully,

Jack McDougle

President & CEO

Greater Washington Board of Trade

Strengthening the DMV Region’s Energy Future

Posted on February 27, 2026March 19, 2026 by Board of Trade

The conversation around Greater Washington’s (DMV) energy future has shifted from a distant policy debate to a defining operational reality.

At our recent GWBOT Executive Lunch, the dialogue wasn’t just about kilowatts and transmission lines; it was about the collective resilience of our region and the urgent need to respond to an energy system that is changing faster than our infrastructure can keep pace.

The Stark Reality: A Surge in Energy Demand

The data behind this shift is staggering. Kevin Carey from AOBA highlighted insights from PJM Interconnection that paint a clear picture of the road ahead: we are facing a projected 30GW of load growth between 2025 and 2030, with an additional 30GW+ expected by 2040. This surge is largely propelled by our digital-first economy, with U.S. power demand from data centers expected to more than double from current levels.

While demand is skyrocketing, our ability to meet it remains constrained. In 2025, only about 2 GW of new generation came online in PJM; a significant drop from the 5 GW added just the year prior. Perhaps most concerning is the bottleneck in the construction queue; of the ~44 GW of capacity currently in development, roughly three-quarters remain stalled in engineering or procurement.

What Those Numbers Mean to Regional Leaders

The conversation revealed a shared understanding: energy reliability is the silent engine of regional economic development. Whether it’s Washington Gas emphasizing the importance of a diverse energy mix or WTOP sharing its ability to report on the infrastructure that connects us, every leader in the room recognized that our collective growth depends on a modern, robust grid.

For our nonprofits and small businesses, the challenge is one of bandwidth. When you are heavily focused on a daily critical mission, whether it’s community health or essential services, finding the time to navigate complex energy policy can feel like an impossible addition to an already full plate. However, we discussed how even small, incremental steps, like understanding your organization’s capacity tag or advocating for streamlined local permitting, can make a difference.

Leaders from Perkins Eastman and the Universities at Shady Grove urged us to build with adaptability in mind, pointing to the miles of railroad infrastructure that made perfect sense in one era, only to be torn out as technology and growth patterns changed. We must move quickly to support projects like Valley Link and Joshua Falls, but do so informed by innovative insight and research. We can’t afford temporary fixes; we need long-life infrastructure that keeps power dependable and costs predictable for employers across the region.

A Call for Collaborative Action for Energy Future

The takeaway from our discussion was clear: the grid is the floor upon which we all stand. To keep it solid, we must collaborate to support each other and quickly address these critical needs with the most innovative and thought-out approach possible. Join the conversation in addressing critical questions such as:

How can we streamline the 75% of stalled projects in the queue to get them online faster?
How do we ensure our smallest community anchors aren’t left behind as energy costs fluctuate?
Are we building the infrastructure that will still be powering the DMV 50 years from now?

Now is the time for coordinated action across employers, utilities, and local jurisdictions. We encourage all our members to engage with our energy policy initiatives and join the solutioning for a reliable, sustainable, and affordable power system.

To learn more about how your organization can be involved in our energy initiative, reach out to [email protected].

Insights from the Table is a membership-driven series of specific takeaways from our Executive Lunches, where local and state leaders help inform our organization’s decisions and guide the work we do in a rapidly evolving regional environment. Your impact and insights matter to the growth of Greater Washington.

Expediting Delivery of the American Legion Memorial Bridge and I-495 & I-270 Managed Lane Project

Posted on February 9, 2026February 20, 2026 by Board of Trade

About This Advocacy Effort:

Expediting Delivery of the American Legion Memorial Bridge is a must for Greater Washington to thrive. Below is part of the Board of Trade’s response to the Federal Highway Administration’s Request for Information on accelerating delivery of the American Legion Memorial Bridge replacement and the I-495/I-270 managed lanes corridor. It outlines why the bridge is a linchpin for regional mobility and economic competitiveness—and recommends a unified, multimodal corridor approach that pairs transit integration and modern technology with a Public-Private Partnership (DBFOM) delivery model to reduce risk, attract investment, and move faster. It also highlights key barriers (funding, cross-jurisdiction complexity, regulatory uncertainty), strategies to expedite construction, and the economic cost of delay for commuters, employers, and freight movement. Read the executive summary below or download our full response.

Download Full Response

Executive Summary

The Greater Washington Board of Trade (the Board of Trade) is the region’s premier nonpartisan business organization. For more than 135 years, we have represented all industry sectors across the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland, and Northern Virginia, serving as a primary convener to advance business competitiveness, inclusive growth, and regional livability.

Greater Washington is undergoing a profound economic transformation. The region’s historic reliance on the federal government is shifting toward a more diversified economy driven by artificial intelligence, biotechnology, cybersecurity, and other advanced industries. To remain globally competitive and to sustain the federal government’s own economic and national security interests our shared infrastructure must evolve.

Investing in the American Legion Memorial Bridge (ALMB) is therefore a strategic imperative for both Maryland and the federal government. As the bridge approaches the end of its useful life in 2028, it represents not only a critical transportation asset, but one of the most important federal–state infrastructure partnership opportunities in the nation.

While Greater Washington is now the most congested region in the United States, with daily gridlock costing billions in lost productivity, the central issue is not simply congestion. Mobility is now a core economic and national competitiveness function. The efficiency with which people and goods move determines whether the region can support federal missions, attract private investment, expand workforce participation, spur innovation, and sustain long-term growth.

We Cannot Compete Through Congestion

Greater Washington’s roadway system is fundamentally constrained. Unlike most major metropolitan regions, which benefit from inner and outer beltways, the Capital Region relies on a single overburdened loop to serve both local and national travel demand. Every chokepoint now carries national economic consequences.

Relying solely on traditional public funding for multibillion-dollar infrastructure investments is neither feasible nor equitable. Competing with global hubs such as London, Toronto, and Houston requires demonstrating a willingness at both the state and federal levels to invest now, responsibly and creatively, in the systems that underpin long-term competitiveness.

A Unified, Multimodal Corridor Strategy

The solution is not piecemeal projects, but a unified, multimodal corridor strategy for the I-270 and I-495 system. Given limited physical space and a single Capital Beltway, the objective must be to maximize throughput.

This requires integrating highways, transit, and technologies where rail, bus, and roadways operate as a single ecosystem. Only through this level of integration can the region meaningfully reduce congestion, improve reliability, and support long-term economic growth.

In 2019, the Board of Trade and the Greater Washington Partnership convened the Capital Regional Transportation Forum, leading to the Capital Beltway Accord, a joint Maryland–Virginia commitment to address the ALMB bottleneck and pursue a coordinated corridor strategy.

The replacement and modernization of the American Legion Memorial Bridge is the linchpin of this system and a cornerstone of North–South regional connectivity. The South Side Project is equally critical, unlocking the eastern and southern Beltway, improving freight movement, expanding access to jobs and housing, and strengthening trip reliability across the metropolitan area.

Leveraging P3s and Federal Investment

These projects are too critical and too large to be delivered through state level public funding alone. Public-Private Partnerships (P3s), supported by strong federal investment, should serve as a core delivery mechanism for the corridor.

P3s enable faster project delivery, introduce private-sector innovation, transfer risk, and unlock substantial private capital while positioning Maryland to maximize federal investment and meet USDOT’s expectations for performance, cost discipline, and schedule certainty.

We recommend a Public-Private Partnership using a Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Maintain (DBFOM) revenue-risk model to align federal priorities, state leadership, and private capital around long-term performance, accountability, and regional impact. This approach not only adds capacity to the corridor, but it introduces demand management in the form of dynamically priced express lanes, which offer reliable travel times for drivers when they need it and are willing to pay for it. This travel time reliability is also enjoyed by transit riders, as transit vehicles will use the express lanes at no cost.

By advancing a unified federal–state strategy that leverages private investment and modern delivery models, Maryland and the federal government can transform the region’s transportation system from a structural constraint into a national competitive asset.

Additional Advocacy Around This Topic

Letter of Support for Proposed I-495 Southside Express Lanes Project

Letter of Advocacy: Maryland and Virginia must Prioritize Reconstruction of American Legion Bridge

Testimony: Support for Maryland’s Metro Funding Modification Act of 2026

Posted on February 2, 2026February 24, 2026 by Board of Trade

About this Testimony:

This written testimony was submitted by Greater Washington Board of Trade President & CEO Jack McDougle in support of Maryland Senate Bill 0281 and House Bill 0386, collectively known as the Metro Funding Modification Act of 2026. The testimony outlines why strengthening regional coordination, funding predictability, and accountability is essential to sustaining a safe, reliable, and modern Metro system—one that underpins economic competitiveness, workforce access, and quality of life across Greater Washington. It highlights Metro’s ongoing capital needs, the economic benefits to Maryland, and the shared responsibility required among Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia to ensure long-term system performance and stability.

Written Testimony Submitted:

DOWNLOAD HERE

February 10, 2026

My name is Jack McDougle, and I am President and CEO of the Greater Washington Board of Trade. Founded in 1889, the Board of Trade is the region’s leading business organization, bringing together employers, civic leaders, and other key stakeholders to advance inclusive economic growth and regional competitiveness.

We are in strong support of SB0281 / HB0386, the Metro Funding Modification Act of 2026, and we commend Maryland’s continued leadership in sustaining a safe, reliable, and regionally coordinated Metro system. This legislation is an important step in ensuring that our region’s core transit infrastructure remains a competitive asset that supports economic growth, workforce access, and long-term fiscal sustainability.

Greater Washington remains one of the most congested regions in the country, a challenge intensified by the transformation of the federal government and the rise of disruptive technologies. These forces are reshaping where and how people work, redefining talent markets, and increasing the urgency of investing in modern, high-performing transit. Mobility is no longer simply a transportation issue; it is a fundamental economic and quality-of-life imperative. The cost of inaction is steep: congestion drains billions in productivity, constrains business growth, and weakens our ability to compete for talent and investment.

The Board of Trade supports the approach taken in this legislation to strengthen predictability, accountability, and regional coordination in the funding of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. The bill appropriately reinforces shared responsibility by conditioning Maryland’s investment on comparable commitments from regional partners, while improving how capital grant amounts are calculated and incorporated into the State budget. These provisions reflect the reality that Metro is a regional system whose long-term success depends on coordinated action across Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

Over the past 18 months, the Board of Trade actively participated in the DMV Moves regional process, working alongside business leaders, labor, and public-interest organizations to develop consensus recommendations on Metro’s long-term capital funding and accountability framework. Those discussions reinforced a clear conclusion: sustained, dedicated capital funding paired with strong oversight is essential to maintaining safety, state of good repair, and system modernization, especially signaling and automated train operations (ATO).

Metro’s capital needs are substantial and ongoing. Funding certainty enables long-term planning, efficient project delivery, and continued progress on railcar procurement, bus garage reconstruction, escalator and station reinvestments, railyard upgrades, and other systemwide improvements. At the same time, employers and taxpayers rightly expect transparency and measurable performance which are goals this legislation advances.

From an economic standpoint, Metro is a critical engine for Maryland. Thousands of Metro employees live in the state, and the capital program supports jobs, small and disadvantaged businesses, and economic activity throughout Maryland. Reliable transit expands access to employment, reduces congestion on state roadways, and underpins the competitiveness of the Greater Washington economy.

As policymakers consider broader revenue and funding questions, we encourage evaluating options through a regional competitiveness lens. Funding mechanisms should be assessed for their impacts on job creation, business location decisions, and the long-term strength of the tax base that ultimately supports transit investment. Approaches that inadvertently discourage high-growth sectors or reduce the region’s attractiveness for investment risk undermining the economic benefits that improved transit is intended to deliver.

The Metro Funding Modification Act of 2026 represents a balanced, forward-looking approach that reinforces accountability, strengthens regional partnership, and provides the stability Metro needs to continue improving safety, reliability, and performance.

For these reasons, the Greater Washington Board of Trade respectfully urges the Committee to issue a favorable report on SB0281 / HB0386.

Thank you for your consideration.

Jack McDougle

President & CEO

Greater Washington Board of Trade

Testimony: Montgomery County Delegation Joint House and Senate Priorities Hearing

Posted on November 20, 2025February 24, 2026 by Board of Trade

About this Testimony:

This testimony outlines the Greater Washington Board of Trade’s support for strengthening long-term, coordinated Metro funding and advancing policy solutions that protect the region’s mobility, workforce access, and economic competitiveness. It emphasizes the importance of timely action across Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. to ensure WMATA remains safe, reliable, and financially sustainable for the businesses, workers, and communities that depend on it.

Video of Testimony:

Written Testimony Submitted:

DOWNLOAD HERE

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

My name is Jack McDougle, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Board of Trade.

Greater Washington remains one of the most congested regions in the country—a challenge amplified by the transformation of the federal government and the rise of disruptive technologies. These forces are reshaping our economy and communities and accelerating the need for a transit system built for a digital, fast-moving world.

If we don’t respond proactively, congestion, inequities, and economic fragmentation will only deepen. And while all jurisdictions face challenges and competing priorities, we must invest boldly in transit to stay competitive, attract talent and capital, and drive inclusive growth.

The cost of inaction is steep. Gridlock drains billions in productivity, constrains business expansion, and weakens the region’s ability to compete for innovation and investment.

For the past 18 months, I chaired the Community Stakeholders Advisory Committee for DMVMoves, which brought together business, labor, and public-interest organizations across D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. The initiative produced two key recommendations as Randy Clarke discussed earlier:

A regionwide commitment to $460 million in annual, dedicated, bondable capital funding for Metro beginning in FY 2028.
A regional bus strategy aligning service standards, fares, and corridor planning across agencies.
Together, these form the backbone of a modern transit strategy that drives economic growth and regional connectivity. If we fail to act, we risk missing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a more connected, competitive, and equitable future for Greater Washington.
Where transit is strong, economic vitality follows.

Together, these form the backbone of a modern transit strategy that drives economic growth and regional connectivity. If we fail to act, we risk missing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a more connected, competitive, and equitable future for Greater Washington.

Where transit is strong, economic vitality follows.

Thank you,

Jack McDougle

President & CEO

Greater Washington Board of Trade

Big Bets, Real Discipline: What We Heard from Governor Wes Moore

Posted on November 19, 2025November 19, 2025 by Board of Trade

The Board of Trade hosted Maryland Governor Wes Moore on November 18 for a fireside chat with MGM National Harbor President & COO Melonie Johnson, bringing together executives from business, nonprofit, academia, and government from across the Capital Region to talk frankly about growth, risk, and what comes next for Maryland and the region’s economy.

The backdrop was serious. Maryland is staring at a projected budget gap of roughly $1.4–$1.5 billion in fiscal year 2027, even after earlier tax and spending changes. At the same time, the state is positioning itself to lead in quantum, AI, life sciences, and other high-growth sectors through major initiatives like the “Capital of Quantum” and a new AI partnership with Anthropic and Percepta.

Local coverage rightly highlighted the tension: WUSA9 framed the afternoon around “economic revival amid budget deficit concerns,” while WTOP focused on Moore’s call for business leaders to “take big bets” in 2026.

Our lens is simple: what does all of this mean for leaders across the Capital Region?

Why this moment matters for our members

Maryland is a core pillar of the regional economy. When its fiscal strategy or growth model shifts, the effects don’t stop at the state line; they ripple through hiring, investment, and competitiveness across D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.

Two realities framed the discussion on stage:

Federal dependence is no longer predictable. Coming out of the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history, Moore was direct about how much of Maryland’s economic and fiscal base is currently tied to the federal government and how much less predictable that arm has become.
The opportunity set is changing fast. Initiatives like the $1 billion “Capital of Quantum” and the state’s AI partnership are designed to reposition Maryland around sectors that can drive long-term revenue, higher-wage jobs, and regional competitiveness.

For employers, that combination of constraint and opportunity is exactly where strategy gets tested.

Big bets with guardrails

Moore framed his agenda around three imperatives:

Grow the economy. Make it easier for companies to come to Maryland, stay in Maryland, and scale, with an emphasis on durable private investment rather than short-lived incentives.
Diversify the economy. Strengthen sectors like quantum and advanced computing, cybersecurity, life sciences, climate and resilience solutions, and other innovation industries so Maryland isn’t overly exposed to federal spending cycles and job cuts.
Move faster. He challenged both government and business to move beyond a culture of “no and slow” and toward a more disciplined “yes and now”; shortening timelines, reducing friction, and being more intentional about where risk is worth taking.

For the business community, the ask was straightforward: align your 2026–27 “big bets” with the places where Maryland and the Capital Region are deliberately building capacity, take risks, and be part of making those bets succeed.

A regional lens on competitiveness

A consistent theme of the afternoon was regionalism. As WTOP noted, Moore told the room that when he pitches companies, one of the main things he sells is not just Maryland in isolation but the strength of the broader DMV.

What resonated most was his emphasis on working with D.C. and Virginia on transit, talent, and energy. These are regional systems, and if we align them, we strengthen Maryland and the broader Capital Region. That’s the kind of collaboration our business community is ready to support.

Read more on the Board of Trade’s regional focus discussed in recent publications:

What’s next

For the Board of Trade, this fireside chat is the continuation of a deeper set of conversations and workstreams. Be part of the conversation and growing our region’s economy – the Board of Trade calls on you to:

Stress-test your 2026–27 strategy against the region’s direction. As you plan capital investments, expansions, and hiring, ask where they intersect with Maryland’s and the Capital Region’s emerging strengths in quantum, AI, cybersecurity, life sciences, and resilience.
Engage on both growth and discipline. Fiscal constraints make it more important to advance projects and policies that deliver long-term economic value. The business community’s voice will be critical in shaping which investments move forward and how they’re structured.
Stay at the regional table. Through DMV Moves, the Potomac Conference, and ongoing executive convenings, the Board of Trade will continue bringing business, government, and civic leaders together to tackle transit, energy, digital infrastructure, and talent issues at the scale they actually exist: the Capital Region.

We’re grateful to Governor Wes Moore for his candor, to Melonie Johnson and MGM National Harbor for hosting, and to every member who joined us.

This is not a moment for “no and slow.” It’s a moment for informed, collaborative “yes and now” and our region’s business and civic leaders will be central to making that real.

Thank you to MGM National Harbor for helping support the Board of Trade’s mission.

Greater Washington’s energy future hinges on balancing infrastructure growth with rising electricity demand | WBJ Viewpoint

Posted on November 16, 2025November 24, 2025 by Board of Trade

From tech talent and research strength to public purpose and inclusive growth, our Greater Washington region has the ingredients to lead as a global innovation powerhouse. But bold coordination is needed.

Our President & CEO, Jack McDougle, shares in his latest Washington Business Journal viewpoint, which focuses on energy, and that the choices we make now will determine whether our region powers a more affordable, resilient, innovative, and inclusive economy or faces rising costs, strained systems, and missed opportunities for growth.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

ABOUT THE BOARD OF TRADE

The Greater Washington Board of Trade, founded in 1889, is the region’s premier non-partisan business organization representing industry, nonprofits, universities, and government agencies. The Board of Trade addresses complex and always-evolving business concerns that stretch across the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland, and Northern Virginia, with a priority focus on inclusive economic growth, improving the business climate, and enhancing the region’s economic competitiveness.

READ MORE POLICY ISSUES AND TOPICS THE BOARD OF TRADE IS FOLLOWING