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W E E K L Y  U P D A T E  June 16th, 2020
 
In this Week's Issue:
NEMWI Joins With AMCC and CREC on Webinar This Thursday
Senate Forges Ahead with Public Lands Bill
House Committee Unveils Massive Transportation Bill
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House Committee to Markup Highway Bill

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is set to begin marking up the INVEST in America Act, a multi-year surface transportation bill, on Wednesday, June 17 at 10 a.m. The bill would authorize $494 billion over five years for modernizing the country's aging network of roads and bridges. The last surface transportation act, the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, is set to expire at the end of September. More specifically, the bill would include $319 billion for the federal highway program, $105 billion for mass transit, and $60 billion for rail. The bill also includes additional provisions to address climate change and resiliency issues that include:
Climate
  • Establishes a new greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions performance measure from DOT.
  • Creates a new $8.35 billion program (for FY22-FY25) to support carbon pollution reduction that includes giving states broad eligibility to invest in highway, transit, and rail projects.
Resilience
  • Creates a new $6.25 billion program (for FY22-FY25) to fund resilience and emergency evacuation needs. Requires states and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) to develop an infrastructure vulnerability assessment to guide investments under the program.
  • Makes resilience a core part of the Federal-aid highway program, with expanded eligibility in other apportioned programs and Emergency Relief (ER).
To watch a webcast of the briefing or view amendments that will be offered, please visit the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's website here.
Senate Forges Ahead with Public Lands Bill

The U.S. Senate continues to work on a massive public lands bill called "the Great American Outdoors Act of 2020," or S. 3422. Procedural votes were expected Monday evening, which could clear the bill's way for passage as early as today. 

Key components of the bill include permanently funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) at $900 million annually through federal oil and gas leasing revenue; and the creation of a five-year trust fund to address a $20 billion backlog of deferred maintenance projects at national parks and on public lands.
Webinar Explores the Endless Frontier Act Proposed in U.S. Congress

A webinar hosted by the Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness (CREC), the American Manufacturing Communities Collaborative (AMCC), and the Northeast-Midwest Institute last Thursday explored the proposed Endless Frontier Act and its promise of "a new American Century."   Titled "How the Endless Frontier Act Can Spark a New American Century," the webinar highlighted the major provisions of the proposed legislation and discussed its potential to spur long-term technological and scientific advance by massively expanding the mission and impact of the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The opening of the webinar featured Jon Cardinal, Director of Economic Development in the Office of U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who presented major provisions of the proposed legislation.
The Endless Frontier Act is bipartisan, bicameral legislation that proposes a $100 billion increase in funding for the National Science Foundation along with $10 billion to establish regional technology hubs across the country to launch new companies, revive American manufacturing, and create new jobs to jumpstart local communities.

A recording of the webinar will be available later this week.
This Week in Washington

In the House:


In the Senate:



NEMWI: Strengthening the Region that Sustains the Nation