Government and Public Affairs Department
Memorandum
TO: Intergovernmental Relations Council Committee
FROM: Jeff Coyle, Government and Public Affairs Director
SUBJECT: Federal Legislative Update
DATE: February 28, 2020
At the Intergovernmental Relations Committee meeting on March 2, 2020, Government and Public Affairs (GPA) will provide a federal legislative update to include a report on the timeline of FY 2021 Appropriations and the City’s primary funding requests, a recap of the SA to DC 2020 advocacy visit and a report on the status of action items stemming from meetings that took place during SA to DC.
FY 2021 Appropriations Requests
Following the President’s Budget Proposal, Congress has initiated the FY2021 appropriations cycle. GPA is collaborating with federal consultants to submit various appropriations requests for city priorities. The appropriations requests include the following:
• JBSA Military Construction Projects: San Antonio requested Congress protect military construction projects from any additional diversions and work to restore funding to previously diverted projects; and the inclusion of $19.5 million for a ground based training system simulator for the T-7As aircraft, $36 million for a basic military training recruit dormitory, and $10.8 million for a F-16 mission training center in the FY21 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill. Items included for the FY21 appropriations will ensure that vital projects to support our military will remain on schedule.
• Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI): In FY19, San Antonio received $3.25 million in UASI funds to address local needs to prevent, protect against, mitigate and respond to acts of terrorism. The City used this funding to purchase a mobile command unit, a new SWAT vehicle and to equip a cyber fusion center. However, the City calculates that it has approximately $20 million in future needs. As such, Congress should restore the funding cut to UASI and include at least $665 million for the program in the Homeland Security Appropriations bill.
• Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP): The Defense Community Infrastructure Program will allow defense communities to meaningfully invest in infrastructure projects to benefit the military installations that they support. We are requesting DCIP be funded at $50 million in the FY21 Defense Appropriations bill.
• Domestic Violence: We are requesting that Congress include language in the FY21 Labor-HHS Appropriations bill that calls for greater coordination between the CDC and state and local governments and nonprofit organizations on intimate and domestic violence data. This will ensure State and local nonprofits that focus on domestic violence issues have access to quality data when they are applying for federal grants to support their missions.
• HUD Programs: CDBG, HOME Investment Partnership Program, CHOICE and Homeless Assistance Grants: We are requesting that Congress protect these important housing and community development programs by rejecting any proposed eliminations or reductions and providing increases. Congress should include at least $3.42 billion for the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG), $1.35 billion for HOME Investment Partnership Program and $23.87 billion for the Housing Choice Voucher Program and $2.78 billion for Homeless Assistance Grants in the FY21 Transportation, HUD Appropriations bill.
• Transit Funding: We are requesting that Congress provide level or increased discretionary funding in FTA for the CIG-Capital Investment Grants ($1.98B) and BUILD programs ($1B) Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill. Additionally, we request that Congress include language encouraging the Secretary of Transportation to consider more transit projects. We anticipate that VIA will seek future funding from these programs in support of the ConnectSA initiative.
SAtoDC 2020
The San Antonio Chamber of Commerce’s annual SAtoDC trip took place from February 3 - 6, 2020. For over 40 years, the SAtoDC trip has been an opportunity for business and community leaders to collectively advocate on behalf of the needs of the San Antonio community. The SAtoDC trip included more than 200 attendees that advocated on issue teams that met with congressional offices and agencies, as well as a series of panel discussions on topics such as economic mobility, election security, census, trade, and transportation.
Councilmembers attending SAtoDC participated in the Chamber’s issue teams, moderated panels, and introduced key note speakers. GPA staff secured meetings for the Mayor and IGR Chairman and members with key Congressional members and Federal Agencies to advocate for timely City priorities. Some of the topics covered in meetings during the SAtoDC visit and that will be discussed with the Committee include:
• Transit: Met with the Federal Transit Agency (FTA) Administrator in support of VIA Transit’s Advanced Rapid Corridor (ART) initiative. GPA has established an ongoing dialogue with Congressional offices and FTA for support and technical assistance for VIA’s Capital Investment Grant (CIG) applications for future funding requests.
• Emergency Preparedness & Homeland Security: Met with Federal Emergency Management Agency leadership to discuss support for programs and increased funding to promote a regional prevention, preparedness, response, recover and resiliency from a terrorist attack and advocated additional funding to the San Antonio area through the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI). GPA and the Emergency Management Office have an ongoing dialogue with FEMA and with Congressional offices in support of San Antonio’s UASI grant funding. Additionally, the Mayor has sent a letter to the FEMA Administrator requesting that San Antonio be part of the new UASI Risk Assessment Working Group.
• Military Protection: Met with several members of the San Antonio Delegation and Representative Adam Smith, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee to support and enhance JBSA’s mission readiness and ensure long term protection of the region’s military bases; including MilCon funding, the Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP), and F-16 basing. As a follow up action item GPA is coordinating a visit to San Antonio from Chairman Smith in mid-March. The Chairman will visit JBSA.
• Brownfields Program: Met with Environmental Protection Agency staff to discuss recent applications for Brownfields Program grants for assessment activities and a cleanup activity revolving loan fund. GPA is coordinating with Congressional offices in support of the city’s Brownfields grant applications. Additionally, GPA has identified technical assistance opportunities through EPA and the city’s Center City Development -Brownfields team will avail themselves of that assistance as needed.