File #: 2021-0160   
Type: Informational Report Status: Filed
File created: 3/19/2021 In control: Executive Management Committee
On agenda: 4/15/2021 Final action: 4/15/2021
Title: RECEIVE AND FILE April 2021 State and Federal Legislative Report.
Sponsors: Executive Management Committee
Indexes: Budget, Budgeting, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Eric Garcetti, Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, Grant Aid, Housing, Informational Report, New Starts Program, Program, Transit operators, Vaccination
Meeting_Body
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
APRIL 15, 2021

Subject
SUBJECT: STATE AND FEDERAL REPORT

Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE

Heading
RECOMMENDATION

Title
RECEIVE AND FILE April 2021 State and Federal Legislative Report.

Discussion
DISCUSSION

Executive Management Committee
Remarks Prepared by Raffi Haig Hamparian
Government Relations Senior Director, Federal Affairs

Chair Garcetti and members of the Executive Management Committee, I am pleased to provide an update on several federal matters of interest to our agency. This report was prepared on April 1, 2021 and will be updated, as appropriate, at the Executive Management Committee meeting on April 15, 2021. Status of relevant pending legislation is monitored on the Metro Government Relations Legislative Matrix, which is updated monthly.

There are several major issues I would like to focus on today - mindful that there are many other issues at play with respect to our Board-approved federal legislative program.

COVID - Federal Emergency Funding Package
We are pleased that the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021- a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill was signed into law by President Biden. The measure provides $30 billion to transit agencies nationwide - and approximately $1.6 billion from this measure will come in the form of formula funding to the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim UZA. In addition to this, the measure included over $275 million in New Starts funding for our transit projects with Full Funding Grant Agreements.

The American Jobs Plan
On March 31, 2021 President Biden travelled to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where he announced his intention to advance a multi-trillion infrastructure plan - the American Jobs Plan. Metro is deeply engaged with the White House and Congress to make sure the plan aligns with our Board-approved Federal Legislative Program.

President's Fiscal Year 2022 Budget
It is our understanding that the Biden Administration's Office of Management and Budget is hard ...

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