THE OFFICE OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM.
The proposed federal legislative program (Exhibit 1) aligns and updates the “Fundamental Values” with the Board’s 2016-2020 Strategic Plan.
With regard to Fiscal Year 2018 Funding Requests, the program updates the Funding Request for Port Everglades.
The Legislative Proposals are reordered to match the Board’s Strategic Plan components. Additionally, the program:
- Adds background information about FLL regarding: flight statistics, passengers served and economic impact.
- Updates Port Everglades' Legislative Proposals to:
- Request legislative language in the next Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) to ensure the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) uses recent data regarding the collection of harbor maintenance taxes when calculating which ports are deemed Donor Ports 2) including the harbor maintenance taxes collected from the cruise industry in the calculation for each port.
- Revises SUPPORT statement: Continued significant funding for Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants and the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Grant Program
- Revises SUPPORT statement: Support of the DOC Export Assistance Centers, which help more U.S. companies to begin exporting and will assist companies already exporting to increase their sales to more overseas markets.
Updates the Federal Program to include the 2017 priorities of the National Association of Counties (NACo)
Updates the Health and Human Services Legislative Proposals to:
- Include a SUPPORT statement to repeal the employer mandated “Cadillac Tax”.
- SUPPORT legislative action to address the national opioid epidemic.
- SUPPORT legislative action to regulate the recovery residence industry through changes to the Fair Housing Amendments Act.
- Support legislation for low income family savings accounts.
- Provide specificity for support of HUD housing programs.
- SUPPORT covered Medicaid services which include expanded dental benefits for eligible adults.
- OPPOSE block grant funding of Medicaid.
- OPPOSE per capita funding of Medicaid.
- SUPPORTS legislation that provides flexibility for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to meet match dollar requirements in order to draw down funding for LIP. This includes allowing FQHCs to self-fund the match requirement.
- SUPPORT increasing Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- SUPPORT increased funding to the Bureau of Primary Health Care to expand new preventive and primary care access points through the Federally Qualified Health Centers.
- SUPPORT increased funding for Child Advocacy Centers to enhance child abuse investigations.
- SUPPORT increased funding for the provision of effective, comprehensive services to victims of human trafficking.
Updates the Environment, Agriculture, Energy & Sustainability Legislative Proposals to:
- SUPPORT lifting restrictions on using federal funds to acquire foreign or non-domestic sand for beach nourishment projects, and to specifically SUPPORT the proposed SAND Act of 2017.
Updates the Justice and Public Safety Legislative Proposals to:
- OPPOSE legislation and executive branch actions that deny federal grant funds to welcoming communities.
Updates the Finance, Tax and Spending Legislative Proposals to:
- OPPOSE the elimination or limiting of the state and local tax (SALT) deduction presently available to federal taxpayers.
Updates the Emergency Management Legislative Proposals to:
- SUPPORT the reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to improve the program's affordability and transparency in designated areas.
- SUPPORT S. 1641, the Post-Disaster Fairness to States Act, that would place a three year statute of limitation on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) clawing back funds after the completion of a project following a federally designated disaster.
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