Welcome to FIVE FOR FRIDAY: A weekly roundup of Public Policy Issues and Headlines. In this Issue: In this Issue: 1.Fed holds rates steady but sees first double dissent in three decades 2. Senate Committee Unanimously Passes Bipartisan ROAD to Housing Act 3. Programs that support solar panel installations warn residents of expiring tax credit 4. Congressional candidates in Fairfax special election disagree on federal workforce, local economy 5. Spanberger leads Virginia race with 12-point advantage and major fundraising edge; Earle-Sears responds

Fed holds rates steady but sees first double dissent in three decades

By TOBIAS BURNS, The Hill

The Federal Reserve kept short-term interest rates at a level of 4.25 percent to 4.5 percent on Wednesday, but the vote saw the first double dissent from Fed board officials in more than 30 years.

Senate Committee Unanimously Passes Bipartisan ROAD to Housing Act

By ELAYNE WEISS, Washington Report

The Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs unanimously passed the bipartisan Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream to Housing Act of 2025 (ROAD to Housing Act) in committee markup on Tuesday. The legislation represents a comprehensive federal response to housing challenges, targeting barriers that have made it increasingly difficult for families to achieve homeownership. With housing costs consuming an ever-larger share of family budgets nationwide, the bill offers a multipronged approach to increasing supply, reducing barriers to development, and creating new pathways to homeownership.

Programs that support solar panel installations warn residents of expiring tax credit

By ANGELA WOOLSEY, Ffxnow

Time is running out for Fairfax County homeowners to get a federal tax credit for adopting solar energy. The reconciliation bill passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump on July 4 will eliminate a residential clean energy credit that lets residential property owners deduct 30% of the cost of installing rooftop solar panels, solar water heaters, geothermal heat pumps and other clean energy systems from their federal income taxes.

Congressional candidates in Fairfax special election disagree on federal workforce, local economy

By MARGARET BARTHEL, WAMU 88.5

The Democratic and Republican candidates in the race faced off Monday night in a candidate forum hosted by the Reston Citizens’ Association. Connolly’s longtime chief of staff, James Walkinshaw, who currently represents the Braddock District on the Fairfax Board of Supervisors, is the Democrat in the race. He’s facing Republican Stewart Whitson, a lawyer and conservative policy advocate who is mounting his first campaign for elected office.

Spanberger leads Virginia race with 12-point advantage and major fundraising edge; Earle-Sears responds

By DEREK LYTLE, WVEC-TV

A recent survey released by Virginia Commonwealth University shows the Democratic candidate for governor, Abigail Spanberger, with a 12-point polling advantage over the Republican candidate and current lieutenant governor, Winsome Earle-Sears. Recent campaign finance filings show that Spanberger has also raised more than double the funds raised by her opponent, through June. Spanberger's campaign has raised $15.2 million compared to roughly $4.5 million raised by Earle-Sears' campaign.