CITY OF SAN ANTONIO
GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
MEMORANDUM
TO: Intergovernmental Relations Council Committee
FROM: Jeff Coyle, Director of Government & Public Affairs
SUBJECT: October DC Advocacy Visit Recap
DATE: November 8, 2019
At the Intergovernmental Relations Committee meeting on November 13, 2019, Government & Public Affairs will provide a report on the October 2019 Washington DC visit, to include an update on the action steps and follow-up that has taken place with elected officials and federal agencies.
The advocacy visit took place from October 21-24, 2019. Chairman Manny Pelaez and Councilmember Ana Sandoval participated in the visit. During the visit Councilmembers and staff met with the following federal agencies: the U.S. Department of Transportation; the U.S. Department of Justice; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and; the U.S. Department of Defense - Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA). The topics included support for VIA Transit’s BUILD grant submission for the redevelopment of the Robert Thompson Center ($25M); domestic violence prevention funding and the Defense Communities Infrastructure Program (DCIP). In addition, the group met with Congressional Members to discuss the issues above and basing additional F-16 fighter squadrons at Joint Base San Antonio.
Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant Request - VIA Transit
IGR group met with U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Deputy Assistant Secretary Anne Reinke to advocate for VIA Transit’s BUILD grant submission. VIA is requesting $25 million to redevelop the Robert Thompson Transit Center into a daily station with mixed-use development and making the Center one of the first transit-oriented developments in San Antonio. Our Congressional delegation has submitted support letters on behalf of the project. Since our return, GPA coordinated the preparation of a background document to highlight the proximity of the Robert Thompson Center to federally-designated Opportunity Zones, which DOT stated was a priority for the agency. The background document was shared with DOT and our Congressional Delegation. DOT is expected to make award announcements by November 12.
Domestic Violence Prevention Funding
The delegation met with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Commissioner Elizabeth Darling, Deputy Assistant Secretary Anna Pilato, and Family and Youth Services Manager Shawndell Dawson to discuss funding opportunities and technical assistance through HHS. GPA has shared the Domestic Violence Comprehensive Plan with HHS, and we are in the process of scheduling a technical assistance follow up call.
Furthermore, we met with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Acting Director for the Office on Violence Against Women, Laura Rogers, to discuss funding opportunities and technical assistance available through DOJ.
Since the meetings GPA has obtained a forecast of federal and state funding opportunities and shared them with the Domestic Violence Commission. GPA is coordinating efforts with the Congressional delegation’s grant coordinators to identify opportunities as they become available. In addition, GPA has communicated with the State of Texas’ Violence Against Women Administrator and learned that the state will open the 2020 grant cycle on December 13.
On October 24, Jeff Coyle provided a policy update to the Domestic Violence Commission and shared the details of the DOJ and HHS agency meetings in Washington and also shared the federal consultant’s memo on domestic violence funding opportunities.
Defense Communities Infrastructure Program (DCIP)
The IGR delegation, including OMVA Director Juan Ayala, met with Patrick O’Brien - Director of the Office of Economic Adjustment at the Department of Defense (DOD) to discuss the implementation of DCIP, a federal program authorized (although not yet funded) to provide grants to communities for projects that support of military installations. Although any funds appropriated for the program would be implemented by the Office of Economic Adjustment., Director O’Brien stated that there are currently no plans to implement the program as it is unclear whether the proposed funding will be included in the final appropriations package. GPA shared information on the Joint Base San Antonio projects that are ready for execution should the DCIP funds become available.
F-16 Permanent Formal Training Unit (FTU) Basing
The IGR delegation met with Congressional Members and staff to request their support for the basing of additional F-16 squadrons at Joint Base San Antonio and share information on the Department of Defenses’ plans for implementation of DCIP. GPA and federal consultants have prepared a Congressional support letter that will be signed by the entire delegation in support of San Antonio’s application for additional squadrons. We have asked our Congressional Delegation to reiterate that JBSA is the best option for the Air Force’s F-16 Permanent FTU because of outstanding flying conditions and airspace, robust infrastructure that will require no additional military construction (MILCON) and the ability to leverage the strengths of the 149th Fighter Wing.