Bennington
Gov. Scott Joins Bipartisan Push to Protect States’ Rights
OKLAHOMA CITY — State leaders of both parties say the federal government — including the president — wields too much power, and they want to see more authority returned to the states. Bipartisan groups of governors and state lawmakers held…
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Key points
- Vermont Gov. Phil Scott is co-leading a bipartisan effort with North Carolina’s governor to push back against federal overreach.
- The coalition recently sued the federal government over attempts to link $1 billion in disaster recovery aid to state election rules.
- State leaders argue that returning authority to state capitols will protect local decision-making and reduce national political polarization.
OKLAHOMA CITY NewsWK — As debates over federal authority intensify across the nation, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott is joining a bipartisan coalition of state leaders working to shift governance power away from Washington, D.C., and back to state capitols.
According to a report first published by Stateline, governors and state lawmakers from both major political parties are prioritizing federalism to protect local authority over elections, energy, education, and disaster funding.
Vermont Helps Lead Rebalancing Effort
During a recent meeting of the National Governors Association in Oklahoma City, state executives focused on revising the organization’s policies regarding federal power sharing. The updated guidelines address issues such as unfunded mandates, artificial intelligence regulation, and control over state National Guard units.
Scott, a Republican, partnered with North Carolina Democratic Gov. Josh Stein to help lead the effort. Both governors were part of a multi-state coalition that recently sued the federal government after Washington officials attempted to condition more than $1 billion in disaster recovery aid on changes to state voting procedures.
Federal officials tried to pressure states to abandon electronic ballot counting prior to upcoming elections. “The federal government shouldn’t be dictating how states conduct their elections,” Stein told Stateline.
Bipartisan Support for Local Governance
State leaders at both the governors’ meeting and a conference of the National Conference of State Legislatures in Chicago argued that shifting authority back to the states can reduce national polarization. Leaders noted that over-centralizing policy in Washington places too much weight on presidential elections, creating dramatic swings in federal policy every four years.
Utah Republican state Rep. Ken Ivory told Stateline that protecting state jurisdiction must transcend party lines. “We don’t want a red king or a blue king. We don’t want a king,” Ivory said.
How This Affects Our Area
For residents in Bennington County and across Southern Vermont, the effort to strengthen state authority directly impacts how federal disaster aid reaches local towns after severe weather events. It also helps safeguard Vermont’s ability to run its own election systems and manage state programs without federal conditions.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by our editorial team.
Based on reporting by Kevin Hardy originally published by Stateline. Read the original story.
