Governor Moore Concludes National Governors Association Winter Meeting, Advancing Bipartisan Solutions for Maryland

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Wes Moore today concluded three days of engagements at the 2026 National Governors Association (NGA) Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C. Serving as the NGA Vice Chair, Governor Moore met with more than 40 governors from across the country to advance a state-centered vision for economic growth, public safety, and bipartisan collaboration. Throughout the meeting, the governor emphasized the importance of continued partnership with the states’ chief executives in order to develop policy solutions that deliver tangible results for Marylanders.

“At a time when our nation feels more divided than ever, governors are proving that we can still find common ground to solve the most pressing challenges facing our communities,” said Gov. Moore. “Whether we are strengthening our workforce, securing our critical infrastructure, or expanding economic opportunity, we are most effective when we work together. In Maryland, we aren't just talking about bipartisanship; we are using it as a tool to leave no one behind and win the decade.”

Governor Moore began the NGA winter meeting by joining fellow governors for a discussion on immigration reform, focusing on the economic impacts of federal policy on critical sectors like construction, agriculture, and hospitality. Afterwards, Governor Moore participated in a fireside chat alongside NGA Chair and Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt at the POLITICO Governors Summit, where he spoke to the importance of NGA in sustaining the enduring partnership between the nation’s governors.

Governor Moore: “This is a decades-long tradition that has existed where governors from around the country come and we meet about issues of real importance to all of us. And so whether we're going to be talking about issues of immigration reform, whether we're talking about issues of energy, whether we're talking about issues of transportation and employment, or how we think about the future of technology and AI, we've got big issues that we are working on together. And so it's just a reminder that there is no person nor one administration that can break that bond.”

Later in the day, as a member of the Council of Governors, Governor Moore met with senior officials from the U.S. Department of Defense and the White House to discuss cybersecurity and critical infrastructure. The governor specifically advocated for strengthening coordination on cybersecurity and disaster response and recovery efforts. The governor also emphasized to federal leaders the strategic importance of Maryland’s defense installations—including Fort Meade and the National Security Agency—to the nation's homeland defense mission.

On Friday, after attending a bipartisan business meeting at the White House, Governor Moore continued collaborative discussions focused on strengthening the working relationship between the states and the federal government through NGA. The governor then participated in the Winter Meeting’s opening plenary session, focused on NGA Chair Governor Kevin Stitt’s “Reigniting the American Dream” initiative. The yearlong initiative focuses on three core policy pillars: unlocking economic opportunity through entrepreneurship; empowering every learner through reimagined education; and energizing the future through AI innovation and energy infrastructure.

Friday afternoon, Governor Moore met with United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper MP, British Ambassador Sir Christian Turner KCMG, and Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories Stephen Doughty MP. During their meeting, the governor discussed Maryland’s long-standing relationship with the United Kingdom and shared priorities for supporting young men and boys. The United Kingdom—home to companies including AstraZeneca and McLaren—is Maryland’s top source of foreign direct investment and employment with 116 United Kingdom firms employing nearly 48,000 Marylanders.

This morning, Governor Moore began the day with the Appalachian Regional Commission Quorum Meeting, where he announced that Maryland successfully secured a $200,000 award for Allegany College of Maryland to launch the Appalachian Business Builders project. This project, which was a priority of the governor’s as the 2025 ARC States’ co-chair, will help launch a regional community development financial institution to expand access to capital for rural entrepreneurs in Allegany, Garrett, and Washington counties.

“This investment is a direct win for Western Maryland and a testament to what we can achieve through regional partnership,” said Gov. Moore. “By launching this institution, we are empowering our rural entrepreneurs with the capital they need to build the businesses and create the jobs that strengthen our communities.”

Following the ARC meeting, the governor moderated a panel on “The Power of Service,” focusing on how states can better support military families and veterans. As co-chair of the NGA-Blue Star Families’ “Do Your Part: State Leadership to Support Military Families” initiative, Governor Moore highlighted Maryland's nation-leading work to honor the service of veterans and military families. The governor also highlighted First Lady Dawn Moore’s leadership in championing the Moore-Miller Administration’s commitment to uplifting Maryland’s military families.

The session coincided with the release of a comprehensive toolkit, co-developed by this bipartisan initiative, to help other states adopt the best practices demonstrated in Maryland under Governor Moore’s leadership.

After leading the panel discussion, the Winter Meeting concluded with a series of sessions and meetings on lowering costs for working families, solving state challenges through public-private partnerships, and addressing political division. Following the governor’s final meetings, he met with West Point cadets participating in the American Politics Program for a conversation about leadership and the importance of service.

“This organization is leaving this weekend with not just an understanding of why this moment is important but a gratefulness that it was America's governors who helped to lead the way,” said Gov. Moore. “We’re all leaving here knowing that we're going to fight on behalf of our people. We're always going to make our voices heard. We're going to speak truth to power if necessary. As governors, we won't always agree on every issue. But we will agree on certain facts like the importance of states’ rights…the importance of state executive leadership inside this moment, and the priority of putting America first. Not petty partisan differences. Not silly partisan attacks. Putting America first. That's what America's governors just did.”

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