AGP Executive Report

D.C. Tax Fight: Rep. James Comer introduced the D.C. Taxing Authority Review Act, pushing Congress to approve any District law that raises taxes or fees—aimed at curbing proposed D.C. tax hikes that critics say could drive businesses and residents away. Ticketing Crackdown: The D.C. Council advanced resale limits, capping live entertainment ticket resale at 10% above face value and moving to ban “surveillance pricing” for concert tickets. Health Policy: UnitedHealthcare extended network access to ECU Health hospitals in North Carolina through Aug. 6, after ECU Health facilities fell out of network—leaving patients scrambling to switch coverage or travel. Marijuana Reform: Senate Majority Leader Schumer and others reintroduced the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act to end federal marijuana criminalization and reinvest in communities harmed by past enforcement. Markets & Tech: Meta’s buyback pause and what it could mean for shareholder returns drew fresh attention, while Alpaca raised $135M to expand AI-agent trading infrastructure via its brokerage API. Weather & Air Quality: Another hot, humid D.C.-area day brought a code orange air quality alert tied to Canadian wildfire smoke.

D.C. Ticket Resale Crackdown: The D.C. Council passed a RESALE Act capping live entertainment ticket resale at 10% above face value, aiming to curb inflated prices and scams. AI & Power Costs: A PJM power auction for 13 states showed data-center-driven demand could add billions in electricity costs, with consumer advocates warning the market wasn’t ready for the surge. Tech IPO Watch: Csquare (CSQR) priced its IPO at $21—$2 below its range—raising $1.05 billion, with the company operating 64 data centers across major U.S. metros including the Washington area. Workplace Surveillance Debate: A new report highlights how employers increasingly use cameras, sensors, and computer tracking to monitor staff—raising fresh questions about privacy and compliance. Public Health Alert: Cyclospora cases tied to a growing U.S. outbreak continue to rise, with officials still investigating sources and warning symptoms can be severe. Local Housing Policy: The Senate advanced the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act to lower housing costs by easing federal rules and expanding funding tools.

D.C. Ticket Rules: The D.C. Council passed the RESALE Act, capping live-entertainment resale prices at 10% above face value and banning “surveillance pricing” that uses personal data to set different prices for the same ticket. Energy Reliability: PJM, which serves the Mid-Atlantic including Washington, D.C., issued heat-driven grid warnings as demand surged and data-center load growth strained supply and pushed up wholesale power prices. Federal Justice Watch: Acting AG Todd Blanche defended the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein files during a Senate confirmation hearing, insisting there are “no closed investigations” if new leads emerge. Local Housing & Infrastructure: A D.C.-area housing and utility policy thread continued as lawmakers and councils weigh affordability and infrastructure bottlenecks, including zoning/permitting pressure and solar contract changes. Business & Consumer Policy: USDA said momentum is building behind its voluntary “Product of USA” label as more meat and poultry firms adopt it, aiming to make sourcing claims easier for shoppers. Tech & Capital Markets: HarbourVest Partners named Kaitlin May head of product management, signaling continued focus on scaling closed-end commingled products.

Local Governance & Housing: D.C. Council unanimously approved a ticket-resale bill aimed at curbing price gouging, a move that could reshape how residents pay for events and sports. Tech & Labor: Meta is facing a new lawsuit from 26 employees alleging AI systems helped pick layoffs and disproportionately targeted workers on medical and parental leave. Public Policy: USDA says it’s improving disaster assistance and commodity loan programs under its “Farmers First” push, including expanded coverage for livestock and other producers. National Security & Energy: Senate Democrats blocked a $1.15 trillion defense bill over Iran-war authorization provisions, a delay that could affect oil-price expectations tied to the Strait of Hormuz. AI Governance: Prominent economists and tech leaders warned policymakers that unmanaged AI adoption could displace millions of jobs, urging guardrails and institutions. Infrastructure & Connectivity: Harbor Link expanded underground fiber into CoreSite DC2 in Washington, aiming to boost carrier diversity for data centers. Business & Markets: RealPage completed its acquisition of Cherre, combining AI-driven real estate analytics and data intelligence for institutional operators.

D.C. Economy: A new report says more than half of D.C.’s job losses since the pandemic came from Trump-era federal layoffs, leaving the city struggling to attract workers and raising long-term risks for its “superstar city” economy. Tech & Jobs: Meta is hit with a lawsuit from 26 employees who claim AI tools helped target workers with disabilities, medical conditions, or approved family leave for mass layoffs. Policy & Trade: Trump’s administration is refunding nearly $80 billion in customs duties in 2026 after tariffs were struck down, with businesses getting rebates plus interest. Local Business & Real Estate: A DC-area buyer’s agent spotlight highlights a younger agent completing an ABR course and committing to representing buyers only. Energy & Industry: A D.C. subcommittee markup aims to strengthen nuclear licensing and reporting to keep the U.S. nuclear supply chain moving. International Pressure: Lawmakers ask Trump to lift Venezuela sanctions to speed earthquake relief and access to frozen assets.

Education & DC Growth: Western Governors University opened a Washington, D.C. regional office, citing policy influence and industry partnerships as it expands its online, competency-based model. Labor & Justice: UAW President Shawn Fain hired former federal fraud/bribery prosecutors from Quinn Emanuel as a federal grand jury probe reportedly targets union benefits pressure. Hospitality & Capital Markets: InterContinental Hotels Group announced a transaction in its own shares. AI & Finance Ecosystem: Behneh joined the National Artificial Intelligence Association to advance AI-powered financial intelligence. Aviation & Manufacturing: Embraer is set to highlight growth momentum at the Farnborough airshow, while Intel plans a €5 billion Ireland expansion to boost Xeon chip output. Startups & Investors: Startup Angel Bazaar will host an investor event series with a Washington stop at 2100 Pennsylvania Ave featuring tech entrepreneur Satish Jha. Federal Policy & Health Care: CMS proposed new Medicare rules for provider-based departments, requiring separate NPIs and attestations starting in 2028. Local Business & Compliance: A D.C.-area utility-rate update and a separate foreclosure notice also surfaced in the week’s filings.

Local Tech & Mobility: Uber and Waymo are clashing over a new Washington, D.C. driverless-car bill, with Uber warning it could squeeze out human drivers while Waymo argues it will improve safety and access. Consumer Finance: A D.C. federal judge partially paused the CFPB’s workforce-cut plan, letting the nominee for the next director review it, extending the fight over how far the agency can shrink. Media & Competition: State attorneys general sued to block Paramount Skydance’s $111B deal for Warner Bros. Discovery, arguing it would raise prices and reduce choices across TV and film. Healthcare Workforce: Covista and its foundation pledged $10M plus 50,000 volunteer hours to expand the healthcare workforce, targeting burnout and access barriers. Business Aviation Safety: Nimbl released its 2026 annual safety report for business aviation, finding procedural errors were the most common incident cause. Energy Storage: Stryten Energy agreed to acquire C&D Trojan to expand battery manufacturing and energy storage capacity. Courts & Compliance: WVU Health System agreed to pay $4.17M over Controlled Substances Act violations tied to recordkeeping and reporting. Infrastructure & Transit: Transurban is seeking to expand Virginia’s I-95 express toll lanes, adding 120 miles of bidirectional capacity. Local Governance: The Kennedy Center’s Trump-era sign tarp remains up a month after the name was removed, frustrating lawmakers who want it down.

DC Business & Policy: AMCHAM rolled out “K-Doorknock,” a new Washington Doorknock track aimed at helping Korean firms deepen U.S. investment and policy engagement, with a delegation led by AMCHAM Chairman James Kim. Health & Enforcement: The HHS Office of Inspector General reported $5.56B in expected recoveries and savings over six months and barred 1,212 people and companies from federal health programs, even as overall enforcement activity fell. Tech & Privacy: A new critique of Samsung Health argues self-tracking is sliding into surveillance capitalism, raising ethical and privacy concerns for users. Markets & Energy: Iran-linked Gulf tensions pushed oil higher as Strait of Hormuz risk resurfaced, with investors watching for inflation and rate moves. Local Economy: DC landlords are facing renewed scrutiny after lawsuits tied to poor housing conditions following a 2024 gas explosion. Corporate Moves: Rightfiber, formed from a major telecom merger backed by Washington’s Grain Management, says it’s already talking deals as it targets expansion across 20 states.

Local Politics & Budget: D.C. Council is set to weigh a FY 2026-27 property tax levy at 87.27 cents per $100 of assessed value, plus possible legal steps tied to Benson Municipal Airport and land acquisition for the next phase of Lions Park. Public Safety: Police are searching for a suspect after a shooting in Northeast D.C. left a 13-year-old boy dead; he was last seen on a bike near 16th Street and Rosedale. Health Insurance Costs: CVS Health’s Aetna says broader coverage of pricey GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound may hinge on lower prices and stronger proof they reduce overall health-care costs. Food & Agriculture: USDA says its “Product of USA” meat and poultry label has added 10 new companies, aiming to help shoppers spot products born, raised, harvested and processed in the U.S. Business & Markets: Delta reported a strong June-quarter beat, kept its full-year forecast, and boosted its dividend while absorbing record fuel costs. Energy & Tech: Navitas Semiconductor is facing a major legal fight tied to its AI-data-center comeback, as it competes in high-power chips.

Housing & DC policy: Mayor Muriel Bowser says new legislation could be coming to protect affordable housing and modernize eviction and short-term rental rules, including a 60-day eviction case hearing timeline and clearer authority for D.C. police to remove guests who overstay. Courts & housing enforcement: D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb sued two Northwest landlords over alleged extreme disrepair and failure to reimburse the District after a September 2024 gas explosion displaced tenants. National economy: The bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act became law overnight after Congress sent it without Trump’s signature, aiming to speed housing reviews and limit certain investor activity. Federal finance: A report says the IRS modernization push was reversed after Trump and DOGE actions, with major staffing losses and a rougher tax season for millions. DC landmark & tourism: The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was drained again for additional repairs after algae and peeling paint, disappointing July 4 visitors. Local business pulse: D.C. neared record tourism levels for July 4 festivities, boosting optimism for hotels, restaurants, and bars. Sports & local economy: Brewers lefty Kyle Harrison went on the 15-day injured list with forearm tightness. Markets: Fed minutes show officials split on whether inflation will cool or stay elevated, with AI investment cited as a potential pressure point.

Cooling Costs: NEADA says U.S. households will pay about $778 this summer for air conditioning—up 8.5% from last year and nearly 37% since 2020—while one in six households is already behind on utility bills. Consumer Refunds: The FTC is mailing nearly $3 million in refunds to 1,821 homeowners tied to a mortgage relief scam that promised to cut payments and stop foreclosures, then collected millions under multiple company names. Local Security: The D.C. National Guard commissioned its first maritime security vessel for the 260th Special Purpose Brigade, expanding homeland-defense coverage of the city’s waterways and major events. Tech & Markets: Honeywell’s aerospace spin-off (HONA) began trading June 29, and Wall Street quickly shifted its view; meanwhile, Morgan Stanley dropped a Honeywell stock opinion. Small Business: SBA opened nominations for the 2026 National Small Business Week Awards, with winners honored in Washington next May. Legal/Politics: A federal judge dismissed the Jan. 6 Proud Boys seditious-conspiracy case, warning about Trump’s efforts to lift penalties. D.C. Watch: Crews are draining the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool again amid ongoing revamp troubles.

CFPB Layoff Fight: The Trump administration and a union representing Consumer Financial Protection Bureau staff asked a D.C. federal court to pause review of a plan to cut about half the agency’s remaining workforce, arguing the president’s nominee should be able to assess it after confirmation. Local Infrastructure & DC Scrutiny: Crews are draining the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool again as Trump’s renovation drags on, with officials citing debris cleanup and repairs after earlier algae and peeling issues. Housing & Development Watch: A D.C. Council-ordered study is set to examine a new business tax as officials look for budget-gap fillers, while separate local planning updates include rezonings and approvals for new facilities and expansions. Trade & Cross-Border Business: The U.S. and Canada will open the Gordie Howe International Bridge on July 27 after a toll-profit sharing deal, creating a 15-year economic development fund tied to bridge profits. Tech & Corporate Legal Risk: Apple sued OpenAI in federal court, alleging trade-secret theft tied to Apple’s push to build its own ChatGPT hardware.

Federal Workforce Watch: OPM says federal retirement processing is getting slower—average claim processing hit 108 days in June, up 30 days—while its pending inventory fell to just under 34,000. CFPB Shakeup: A D.C. judge blocked CFPB job cuts for at least 60 days, tying the pause to Senate confirmation of a new director, as the agency and its union fight over a reduction-in-force plan. Election Administration: Trump dismissed the remaining Democratic members of the Election Assistance Commission, leaving it without commissioners and raising concerns about election oversight and voting-machine certification ahead of the midterms. D.C. Infrastructure & Spending: Crews are draining the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool again after algae and peeling issues, pushing the renovation well past the July 4 target for the 250th birthday. Energy Costs: Gas prices ticked up as U.S.-Iran tensions flare, with AAA citing renewed risk to the ceasefire and potential Strait of Hormuz disruption. AI & Chips: Qualcomm says AI agents will decide where computing runs (device vs. cloud), while Micron plans to boost its U.S. investment to over $250B through 2035. Security & Courts: Eight men were indicted over a thwarted drone and sniper attack plot targeting the UFC event on the White House grounds.

D.C. Courtroom Fight Over National Landmark: A former Olympic canoe racer, David Hearn, pleaded not guilty in D.C. Superior Court to a felony property-destruction charge tied to alleged damage to the renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool—an episode critics say is being used for political leverage. Federal Security & Terror Case: A federal indictment in Ohio charges eight men with murder and terrorism conspiracy tied to a thwarted drone-and-sniper plot targeting a White House UFC event. Local Budget Pressure: A town council set a £114,700 budget but spent £160,338.83, pushing officials to tighten reserve use and rethink how they charge for room rentals. Healthcare Access in the District: TeleDirectMD expanded to 40+ states plus Washington, D.C., adding major insurers while keeping a $79 flat-fee physician visit option. Tech, Jobs, and the Economy: Microsoft cut 4,800 jobs, including many in Xbox, as it “resets” the gaming unit; separately, the Fed named Xbox CEO Asha Sharma to a task force on AI’s impact on jobs and productivity. Sports Business Spotlight: All-Star Week kicks off at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, a major tourism and spending draw tied to the nation’s 250th birthday.

Federal Courts & Politics: A former Olympic canoeist, David Hearn, pleaded not guilty in D.C. Superior Court to allegedly damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, a case critics say reflects political overreach. Markets & Regulation: A judge in Washington approved the SEC’s settlement with Elon Musk over his Twitter share disclosure, while signaling “red flags” and questioning whether the SEC let him off too easily. Local Transit: Metro is adjusting how it handles Red Line crowding during a shutdown, including a North Bethesda–Friendship Heights station closure through Sept. 7 with shuttle routing and added parking. Weather & Risk: A tropical air mass is driving severe storms and flooding risk across the D.C. region, with flood watches and severe thunderstorm warnings in parts of Maryland and Virginia. Workforce & Industry: The federal “Build Freedom” push is spotlighting skilled trades training to close the industrial skills gap, with new activity tied to defense manufacturing needs. Community & Education: ScholarCHIPS marked its 15th year, expanding access for children of incarcerated parents with support that includes tablet-based scholarship outreach.

Senate Health Scrutiny: A new report revives questions about whether Sen. Mitch McConnell is physically and mentally fit after a “cardiac arrest” call and repeated freezing episodes, with his office offering limited diagnosis details. Local Crime & Public Safety: Three teens were charged as adults in a Southeast D.C. armed robbery, part of a broader push for tougher penalties under “Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful.” Education Funding Pressure: Tax levy referendums are being floated at school board meetings as property-tax relief laws threaten school revenue, with Tipton Community School Corporation considering a November ballot measure. Tech & Cybersecurity: CISA is reportedly using Anthropic’s AI to scan government code for security flaws, signaling deeper adoption of commercial AI in federal security work. Business & Growth: A new Taco Bell opened in Heflin, while Cambria City’s ethnic festival announced a sponsorship with 1st Summit Bank. Housing & Finance: D.C.-area foreclosures hit a seven-year high, though the region remains relatively stable. Sports Betting/Markets: Susquehanna said it can hedge World Cup-related bets with up to $500 million capacity.