The Trump administration wants to “reinvigorate the American dream for the American citizen,” Vice President JD Vance said March 10. (Noel Fletcher/Transport Topics)
WASHINGTON — Dedication to state-centric laws and a commitment to disaster preparedness were key topics addressed by Vice President JD Vance and other political leaders March 10 during the National League of Cities Congressional City Conference.
“The Trump administration believes in federalism and leaving local issues to local officials, but we also recognize the importance of supporting and collaborating with all of you because so many of the issues that you deal with implicate local issues, but state issues and federal issues as well,” Vance said.
The conference, held March 10-12, brought 3,000 attendees representing community mayors, city councilors and other political leaders from across the country.
Vance’s address was greeted by standing ovations on issues such as national border enforcement as well as several incidents of shouting, heckling and booing by individuals in attendance. He responded to the disruptions by stressing that if people don’t like laws on the books or elected officials, there are processes like voting they can engage in.
He said the Trump administration wants to “reinvigorate the American dream for the American citizen” and pledged that American citizens “deserve to have a government that fights for the American dream for you.” On immigration enforcement specifically, Vance stressed to the crowd of local leaders that laws now in effect must be followed. “While we have immigration laws on the books, we will enforce them,” he said. “It’s not up to local cities to choose which laws they’re going to enforce.”
In a separate address, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin made a veiled reference to another controversial state issue: California emission regulations that have been adopted by other states and backed by the former administration’s EPA.
“What we’ve seen too much in the past is when a state develops a state implementation plan, they’ll send it to the federal government and the EPA, and you just have a one-size-fits-all denial of all sorts of state implementation plans all across this entire country,” Zeldin said. “We believe that’s the wrong answer. We want to be able to work with all of you. We want to work with you, and we want to partner with you.”
He continued, “We can’t be pursuing one-size-fits-all solutions to everything, acting as if your city [on] one coast of this great country is dealing with a rule or a regulation impacting you the same way it might impact someone else on the other coast.”
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore led a panel discussion before Vance’s remarks that centered on emergency preparedness, reflecting on the March 2024 collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge. The span fell after being struck by a cargo ship.
He credited the quick response and collaboration from government officials across all levels in the immediate aftermath of the incident, noting the importance of a “collective decision to establish a unified command immediately.”
Moore advised local governments that the best way to handle unexpected critical situations is to be ready for them.
“The best way to do disaster relief is to make sure you’re prepared for a disaster,” he said.
