On Wednesday, during a hearing before the House Budget Committee, Acting Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Shalanda Young stated that the agency has held off making a final decision on a proposed rule change to the threshold of what is considered a metropolitan statistical area (MSA). The proposed rule change received more than 800 Federal Register comments. In addition to Members of Congress, national groups, and local leaders also pushed back, arguing the change would scramble funding decisions for federal programs that rely on the MSA designation. Additionally, last week, Senators Gary Peters (D-Michigan) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) introduced a bill to mandate OMB study the effects of the change along with other government agencies before moving forward.
