Today, Council President Sara Nelson (Position 9) issued the following release ahead of the first meeting of the Select Committee on Federal Administration and Policy Changes. Council President Nelson established this new committee to identify and defend against emerging federal policies that threaten City programs and funding.  

“Trump’s chaos campaign in Washington D.C. is intended to create fear and disruption – we will respond by providing safety and stability in Seattle,” Council President Nelson said. “As a City Council, we have a responsibility to protect our funding resources and our residents, particularly communities targeted by the onslaught of federal actions. We will push back on these attacks to ensure Seattle remains a stronghold for civil rights, reproductive freedom, and essential services no matter what the Trump Administration tries.” 

The Council has identified several areas that may be targeted by the Trump Administration, including housing, public safety, transportation, emergency response, climate policy, public health, social services, economic development, and education. The newly formed committee will monitor federal actions on these issues, assess their impact on Seattle, and develop strategies to protect funding and residents’ rights.  

The new committee is just one of the strategies Council President Nelson and her colleagues are using to protect Seattle from the Trump Administration: 

• Council President Sara Nelson and Councilmember Maritza Rivera (District 4) are working directly with the Office of Intergovernmental Relations– the City’s on-the-ground team in Washington D.C. – to receive real-time policy and operational updates on the Trump Administration. This will help City leaders learn of rapid federal shifts and respond quickly to protect resources. 
• Council President Nelson remains in close communication with Governor Ferguson, Attorney General Brown, and other elected leaders to coordinate legal and policy responses to the Trump Administration’s targeted actions harming Washington’s economy, communities, and values.  

The first meeting of the Select Committee on Federal Administration and Policy Changes will feature two community roundtables. One will focus on LGBTQ rights and reproductive healthcare access, featuring community leaders from Queer Power Alliance, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates, and Pro-Choice Washington.  The second will discuss civil and labor rights with experts from the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, Fair Work Center, and the Seattle Office of Labor Standards.  

Details below:  

• WHEN: March 6, 2025, at 2 p.m. 
• WHERE: Council Chambers, City Hall 
  600 4th Avenue 
  Seattle, WA 98104 
• WHAT: The first Select Committee on Federal Administration and Policy Changes will feature two roundtables, one centering LGBTQ and Reproductive Rights and the second focusing on Immigrant Rights and Labor Protections. 

# # #