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Home My WebLink AboutIR 10203 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 10203 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council December 4, 2018 D'aTEA Mrs 4 Page 1 of 1 A. z SUBJECT: ADOPTION OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH'S 2019 FEDERAL Yn LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM The purpose of this Informal Report is to provide information regarding the background and adoption process of the 2019 Federal Legislative Agenda. Each year prior to the beginning of the Congressional Session in Washington D.C., City staff seeks input from the Mayor, City Council and City departments on proposed federal legislative issues that affect the way the City of Fort Worth conducts its business. The City departments submit proposed initiatives that are compiled and reviewed by the Governmental Relations Department. The proposed federal legislative initiatives are then submitted to the City Council Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee for discussion and review. After review and approval by the Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee, the recommended federal initiatives are forwarded to the full City Council for final approval and adoption in the form of the City's 2019 Federal Legislative Agenda. During the November 13th meeting of the Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee (LICA), the LIGA considered the proposed federal initiatives and voted unanimously to forward the attached draft of the proposed 2019 Federal Legislative Agenda to the full city council for consideration and final approval. Below are some of the major strategies that will direct the efforts of the Government Relations staff and the federal consultants during the upcoming 116th Session of Congress slated to begin in January. • Administrative Agency Efforts: City staff and consultants will continue to advocate at the agency level on behalf of city priorities that are impacted by federal agencies. • Congressional Priorities: City staff and federal consultants will continue to support the Central City flood control project, funding for all modes of transportation, continue support of our military and military installations, advocating for quality education that prepares students for the workplace of tomorrow and advocating on behalf of Fort Worth in the policy debate regarding immigration. A resolution approving the proposed 2019 Federal Legislative Agenda will be included on the December 11, 2018 council agenda for final review and approval by the Mayor and City Council. If you have any questions about this information, please contact T.J. Patterson, Jr., Manager of Legislative Affairs, (817) 392-6168. David Cooke City Manager Attachments ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS FORT WORTHO, FEDERAL ADMINISTRATIVE PRIORITIES FOR 2019 Pursuing Community Development and Renewal • Long-term Transportation Reauthorization/"Highway Trust Fund" • Flood Control Grants • Education Opportunity Programs • Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) • Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) • New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) • Second Chance Act • Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP/WAP) • HOME Grants • Low Income Housing Tax Credits/Revitalization Grants • Employment Non-discrimination Initiatives • Healthy Communities Initiative • Infant Mortality Funding • HHS and Community Health • Urban Park and Recreation Recovery (UPARR) • Land and Water Conservation Fund Reauthorization/Full Funding • Museum and Library Funding (IMLS Reauthorization) • Energy/Sustainability Grants • Flood Insurance Premiums • Increased Funding Sources for Homeowner Lead Removal Exploring Economic Development Opportunities • Mixed Income Community Development Funding • Municipal Debt Income Tax Exemption • State and Local Tax Deductibility • Collection of Remote Sales Taxes • Internet and Wireless Tax Authority • Municipal Bond Access and Liquidity (HQLA, Dodd Frank) • Federal Aviation and Contract Tower Funding Increases • Clean Energy and Natural Gas Initiatives • Management and Collection for use on Local Rights of Way • Wet Weather Facility Fighting for Public Safety Funding and Support • Emergency Management Preparedness Grants (EMPG) • Homeland Security Top 10 Re-Designation for Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) funding • CASA Funding (innovative weather satellite pilot) • Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) • Broadband Spectrum for First Responders • Opposition to Federal Collective Bargaining Legislation 2 Federal Congressional Priorities for 2019 Fighting for Mobility Improvements Summary: Traditional and alternative forms of transit are essential to Fort Worth's current and planned investments in economic growth and community development. Fort Worth is completing transformative infrastructure improvements that will increase access to jobs and encourage new residential and business developments. Support for ongoing highway improvements, robust passenger rail, enhanced public transportation systems, and alternative transit opportunities, including bike trails, will be continuing priorities in the 1st Session of the 116th Congress. Support for Educational Development Summary: Fort Worth's continued growth and economic success depends in large part on our city's ability to deliver quality educational opportunities for our future workforce. Families in our community deserve access to programs that provide a diverse continuum of educational resources with a particular emphasis on workforce development, especially in STEM. Supporting high school programs that encourage workforce preparedness, better equipping students for the needs of today's job market, will remain a priority in our federal engagement in 2019. Additionally, early childhood education programs are critical to the long-term success of Fort Worth's school aged children. Identifying opportunities to enhance and create programs that increase quality access to early childhood education through "flexible," locally distributed federal funding dollars will be a key priority in the 116th Congress. 3 Supporting "Central City" Flood Control Summary: Fort Worth is one of the fastest growing large cities in America. The "Central City" flood control project is a key element in managing and modernizing the "Fort Worth Federal Floodway" levee system, essential to protecting our rapidly expanding population and economy. The "Central City" flood control plan will protect people and businesses north and east of our current downtown while providing much needed economic security and certainty to these flood prone communities. Continued modernization of the Trinity River levee system will depend greatly on substantial and sustained federal funding and administration support for the "Central City" flood control project and is a key priority for 2019. Supporting Our Local Defense Economy Summary: Fort Worth's economic growth and development is inextricably tied to the health of America's military and defense industries. The Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base (NASJRB) and Fort Worth's synergistic relationship with top military contractors in the United States are models for many cities across our nation. Continuing support for NASJRB and sustaining the growth of our defense contracting industries will be a key priority. Additionally, Fort Worth is home to a large and growing population of active duty and reservist military personnel as well as veterans of all ages. Supporting those who have served and continue to serve our country will be an ongoing priority in the 116th Congress. 4 Calling on Congress to Reform America's Broken Immigration System Summary: The City of Fort Worth is a large and growing community, deeply rooted in diverse and multicultural Texas traditions. For more than 140 years, laws governing and regulating immigration to our country have been the exclusive responsibility of the United States Congress. As a community that chooses to stand united, the City of Fort Worth calls on the United States Congress to fulfill its duty to the American public and pass immigration reforms in 2019 that strengthen our nation's rule of law and sovereignty, beginning at our national borders, while also treating all people, regardless of their origin, with the dignity and respect our nation's shared values and principles of democracy demand. 5