Meeting_Body
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
SEPTEMBER 17, 2020
Subject
SUBJECT: STATE AND FEDERAL REPORT
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE September 2020 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 August 13, 2020 and will be updated, as appropriate, at the Executive Management Committee meeting on September 17, 2020. Status of relevant pending legislation is monitored on the Metro Government Relations Legislative Matrix, which is updated monthly.
Federal Emergency Funding Package
Both chambers of Congress have recessed for their August district work period without reaching an agreement on another COVID-19 related emergency relief package. Leadership in the House and Senate are still negotiating during the recess to see if there is potential room for compromise. As a reminder, the House's HEROES Act provided $15 billion for both Highways and Transit needs which was part of a total $3 trillion package. The introduced Senate proposals included no funding for any state or local assistance. Metro will continue to advocate for direct funding to transit agencies that are in need of further assistance.
Surface Transportation Reauthorization
On June 4, 2020, Chair Peter DeFazio (D-OR) of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee introduced H.R. 7095 (Now H.R.2) - Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation (INVEST) in America Act. The five-year reauthorization bill would replace the FAST Act, which will expire on September 30, 2020. The INVEST in America Act contains many of Metro's Board-approved federal priorities, such as a new freight fundi...
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