Meeting_Body
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
SEPTEMBER 16, 2021
Subject
SUBJECT: STATE AND FEDERAL REPORT
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE September 2021 State and Federal Legislative Report.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Executive Management Committee
Remarks Prepared by Raffi Haig Hamparian
Government Relations Senior Director, Federal Affairs
Chair Solis and members of the Executive Management Committee, I am pleased to update several federal matters of interest to our agency. This report was prepared on August 26, 2021, and will be updated, as appropriate, at the Executive Management Committee meeting on September 16, 2021. The status of relevant pending legislation is monitored on the Metro Government Relations Legislative Matrix, which is updated monthly.
There are two specific 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.
Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation - H.R. 3684, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
On August 10, 2021, the U.S. Senate voted 69-30 to pass bipartisan infrastructure legislation that includes the traditional 5-year surface transportation reauthorization, and $548 billion in new funding to address a broad spectrum of infrastructure needs. This bill provides historic investments in roads, bridges, rail, transit, airports, ports and waterways. The bill would also help the nation rebuild its electric grid, upgrade broadband infrastructure, improve access to safe drinking water, deploy electric vehicles and buses, improve disaster resilience, and much more. Of particular interest to Metro, the bill significantly increases funding provided through key discretionary and formula grant programs such as Capital Investment Grants, Buses and Bus Facility Grants, Low or No Emission Bus Grants, State of Good Repair Grants, and Urbanized Area Formula Grants. On Augus...
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