Intergovernmental Politics and Policy Implementation: How a City's Congressional Delegation Influences Local Policy Implementation

ABSTRACT This paper presents an analysis of the influence of Congressional delegations on the local implementation of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program, funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). A hierarchical cross‐level modeling approach was employed to investigate how Congressional delegations' legislative supports for the ARRA clean energy package, proenvironmental stance, and partisan composition are related to program implementation outcomes. Our findings reveal that cities represented by Congressional delegations with a stronger support for the clean energy legislation and a proenvironment stance experience shorter delays in EECBG project implementation. Moreover, cities with a greater share of Democratic representatives in their delegations are more likely to implement projects in a timely manner. These relationships highlight the critical role of Congressional actions in shaping the success of local policy execution. This study contributes to the literature on intergovernmental relations and policy implementation by providing empirical evidence of how national‐level political dynamics directly affect local government capabilities. It also opens avenues for future research into the mechanisms through which Congressional supports can be optimized to enhance local policy outcomes. The insights gained from this research are particularly relevant in the context of increasing political polarization and its implications for effective governance at multiple levels.