Meeting_Body
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
FEBRUARY 18, 2021
Subject
SUBJECT: STATE AND FEDERAL REPORT
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE 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 February 1, 2021 and will be updated, as appropriate, at the Executive Management Committee meeting on February 18, 2021. Status of relevant pending legislation is monitored on the Metro Government Relations Legislative Matrix, which is updated monthly.
There are five major issues I would like to focus on today - mindful that there are many other issues in play with respect to our Board-approved federal legislative program.
COVID - Federal Emergency Funding Package
Since Congressional and White House passage of the latest COVID relief bill in December of last year, negotiations on additional federal assistance related to COVID-19 are ongoing. Currently, the Biden Administration is advancing a $1.9 trillion aid package - with a focus on direct payments to Americans. This aid package - as of this writing - includes $20 billion for transit agencies nationwide. Metro is fully engaged with the Los Angeles County Congressional Delegation to ensure that the next COVID relief bill includes funds for our agency and transportation agencies across Los Angeles County.
Jobs-Focused Stimulus Bill
The Biden Administration is expected to formulate a jobs-focused stimulus bill that - according to reports - would be offered after the House and Senate pass their next COVID relief bill. We believe many of the programs and projects we have here at Metro can serve as a template for any future jobs-focused stimulus bill adopted...
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