1. Federal Legislative Update
Florida Regional Councils Association
Policy Board Partners Meeting
August 17, 2018

2. Presentation Overview
FY2019 Appropriations
Farm Bill
Reorganization Proposal
Additional Updates

3. FY2019 Appropriations
Budget deal approved in February raises spending caps set under 2011 Budget Control Act
Non-defense: $597b (3.1% increase from FY2018)
Defense: $647b (2.9% increase from FY2018)
All 12 spending bills approved by House & Senate Appropriations
House has approved two “minibus” bills
Energy-Water, Legislative, Military Construction-VA
Financial Services and Interior-Environment
Senate also passed two spending packages
Financial services, Interior-Environment, Agriculture, Transportation-Housing and Urban Development

4. U.S. Economic Development Administration
(amount rounded to nearest million)
Final FY17
Final FY18
President Request FY19
House FY19
Senate FY19
Economic Development Administration
276
301.5 15
305.5
Economic Development Assistance Programs
237
262.5 -
266.5
Planning Grants 32 33
Public Works
100
117.5
Economic Adjustment Assistance 35 37
Technical Assistance 9
9.5
Research & Evaluation 2
1.5
Trade Adjustment Assistance 13
Innovative Manufacturing Loans/Sec. 26
Regional Innovation Strategies/Sec. 27 17 21 25
Assistance for Coal Mining Communities 30
Salaries and Expenses 39
*figures not available

5. U.S. Economic Development Administration
House Appropriations Directives:
Coal communities
Assistance for communities w/o economic development strategy
Report on progress of assistance, outlook
Regional Innovation Program
Support innovation clusters w/ focus on advanced wood products
Nuclear plant closures
Increase assistance to communities impacted by plant closures

6. U.S. Economic Development Administration
Senate Appropriations Directives:
Report on broadband investments
Recognize economic potential for outdoor recreation projects, eligibility for funding
Reserve $3m for NBRC to address recovery in forest-based economies
Identify best practices, report on assistance available for communities facing nuclear power plant closures

7. U.S. Department of Agriculture – Rural Development
(amount rounded to nearest million)
Final FY17
Final FY18
President Request FY19
House FY19
Senate FY19
Department of Agriculture - Rural Development
2,937 
3,001
 2,023
3,029
USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service
 102
114  - 54
109
Rural Business Development Grants 24 34 40
Business and Industry Guaranteed Loans
922
920
950
Delta Regional Authority and Appalachian Regional Commission (Transfer) 6 5 8
Intermediary Relending Program Account (loan subsidy and administrative) 10 9
Rural Cooperative Development Grants 27 28 30
Rural Energy for America
(subsidy and grants) 1 0*
Rural Utilities Service
 673
661
123 
743
662
Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program (subsidies and grants)
571
560 18
638
558
Rural Electrification and Telecommunications (loan subsidy) 3 2
Broadband Program (loan subsidies and grants) 66 67 35 71 69
*< $1m

8. U.S. Department of Agriculture – Rural Development
(amount rounded to nearest million)
Final FY17
Final FY18
President Request FY19
House FY19
Senate FY19
Rural Housing Service
 2,067
1,995
1,743 
1,997
Rural Housing Insurance Fund (loan subsidies) 89 63 10 69 73
Rental Assistance
1,405
1,345
1,331
Multi-Family Housing Revitalization 41 47 - 53 50
Mutual and Self-Help Housing Grants 30
Rural Housing Assistance Grants 34 40 45
Rural Community Facilities Program
(loan subsidies and grants) 49
148* 44 52
*Administrative expenses only, no funding provided for guaranteed loans or grants

9. U.S. Department of Agriculture – Rural Development
House Appropriations Directives:
Rural Housing Service
Submit report outlining criteria defining “rural in character” for eligibility
POWER Plus: Apply Community Facilities investments in coal communities
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Funding provided for transportation technical assistance*
Rural Utilities Service
Focus on water systems of “Very Small Communities”, predevelopment planning
Issue grants for technology upgrades in health and education
*$500,000

10. U.S. Department of Agriculture – Rural Development
Senate Appropriations Directives:
Rural Housing Service
Issue report on cost of rural housing vouchers for low-income households receiving USDA assistance, property supported w/ Sec. 515 loan
Prioritize projects under Community Facilities Program addressing substance abuse and wildfire risk
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Funding provided for transportation technical assistance*
Rural Utilities Service
Create pilot to solve sewage issues in mid-south through new technology, management, & regulations
Promote broadband in areas where business case lacking to expand service, continue USDA infrastructure initiative
*$500,000

11. Department of Transportation
(amount rounded to nearest million)
Final FY17
Final FY18
President Request FY19
House FY19
Senate FY19
Department of Transportation
76,213
86,185
76,056
87,804
86,565
Essential Air Service (Payments to Air Carriers)
149
155 93
175
BUILD Grants (formerly TIGER)
500
1,500 -
750
1,000
Federal Aviation Administration
16,407
18,001
16,122
17,691
17,702
Airport Improvement Grants (Grants-in-Aid to Airports)
3,350
Airport Discretionary Grants
n/a
Small Community Air Service Development Program 10
Federal Transit Administration
 12,415
13,480
11,119
13,621
13,514
Formula/Bus Grants
9,734
9,733
9,939
FTA Capital Investment Grants (New Start/Small Starts)
2,413
2,645
2,614
2,553
Transit Infrastructure Grants
834
800
Federal Highway Administration
 43,148
47,498
45,791
50,258
49,308

12. Department of Transportation
House Appropriations Directives:
National Infrastructure Investments (BUILD Grants)
$250m each: rural, seaport, and urban projects
Prioritize multimodal projects along freight corridors in urban areas, rural bridge projects
Explore reforms on cutting costs for Essential Air Service
Issue best practices on state bids, corrosion control of structurally deficient bridges

13. Department of Transportation
Senate Appropriations Directives:
DOT to issue report on impact of FY19 budget on state DOTs, other entities receiving highway funding
Reserves $3m for research on autonomous vehicle use in rural areas
National Infrastructure Investments (BUILD Grants)
Balance awards between urban/rural
Directs DOT to not weigh federal share in selection criteria
Retain current air traffic control system against proposal to privatize
Advance education to address workforce needs of transportation sector
DOT to provide guidance to states on financing bike-ped projects

14. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
(amount rounded to nearest million)
Final FY17
Final FY18
President Request FY19
House FY19
Senate FY19
Housing and Urban Development
43,656
48,349
37,023
48,795
49,649
Community Development Block Grant
3,000
3,300 -
HOME Investment Partnership
950
1,362
1,200
Choice Neighborhoods
138
150
100
Homeless Assistance
2,383
2,513
2,546
2,612

15. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
House Appropriations Directives:
CDBG
Encourage resiliency in structures against natural hazards
Prioritize technical assistance for coal communities, use CDBG to aid revitalization
HOME
Issue report on income concentration, housing supply in metro areas
Recommend best practices on localities providing new housing stock in high-cost metros
CHOICE Neighborhoods
Prioritize prior year planning grant recipients for grant implementation

16. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Senate Appropriations Directives:
Encourages HUD to allow flexibility for applicants under 1,000 pop. to use various sources of data to establish LMI
HUD to issue report on strengthening partnerships between CDBG recipients and non-profits for project development
$5m provided for capacity building in rural communities under Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP)

17. U.S. Department of Labor (amount rounded to nearest million)
Final FY17
Final FY18
President Request FY19
House FY19
Senate FY19
Employment and Training Administration
9,974
10,018
6,541
9,800
9,907
Adult Employment and Training
816
846
490
Youth Activities
873
903
524
Dislocated Worker Employment and Training
1,242
1,262
615
1,041
Job Corps
1,704
1,719
1,297
Apprenticeships 95
145
200
150
160

18. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(amount rounded to nearest million)
Final FY17
Final FY18
President Request FY19
House FY19
Senate FY19
Environmental Protection Agency
8,149
8,207 
6,412
8,081
8,058
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
3,527
3,562
2,929
3,588
3,575
Infrastructure Assistance Grants
2,461
2,486
2,332
2,522
2,482
Brownfields 80 62
Categorical Grants
1,066
1,076
597
1,093

19. Federal-State Regional Commissions
Final FY17
Final FY18
President Request FY19
House FY19
Senate FY19
Southeast Crescent Regional Commission
.25
N/A -
Appalachian Regional Commission
152
155
Base Program 70 73
POWER+ Plan/Coal Related Investments 50
Congressionally Directed Special Programs 32
Special Regional Initiative for Distress  -
Delta Regional Authority 25 3 15
Denali Commission 30 7
Northern Border Regional Commission 10 1 12 20

20. Farm Bill House version passed 2nd vote June 21: 213-211
House bill includes provision on work requirements for SNAP participants
SNAP recipients 18 to 59 must work or be enrolled in job training program for at least 20 hours/week
Excluded from work requirement are recipients over 59, disabled, pregnant women, and people with children under age 6
Provides $250m in FY2020 and $1b each year thereafter for employment and training programs
Senate version approved late July, 86-11
Moves to conference committee after recess
Authorization expires September 30

21. Farm Bill Provision House Senate Expands SECD Program 
Support against opioid epidemic
Support for broadband expansion
Supports healthy foods initiative
Reauthorizes economic and infrastructure dev programs
Reauthorizes Intermediary Relending Program
Mandates new work requirements for SNAP recipients
Removes mandatory spending for RD programs
Establishes Under Secretary for Rural Development

22. Farm Bill If provision on removing mandatory funding stands…
Potential for less funding towards loan/grant programs
Reauthorizes RD loan and grant programs through 2023
Reauthorizes Strategic Economic & Community Development planning & technical assist.
$5m annually
Enhances assistance for broadband
Upgrades standard
Prioritizes hard-to-reach areas
Supports community health
Emphasis on opioids: broadband, community facilities
Reauthorizes healthy foods initiative, creates pilot

23. Farm Bill Establishes Undersecretary for RD (Senate)
RD lead designated as Assistant to the Secretary
Reauthorizes federal-state reg commissions
Delta Regional Authority
SW Border Regional Commission

24. Reorganization Proposal
In June, Trump Administration released its government reform plan
Delivering Government Solutions in the 21st Century created by EO directive to reorganize Executive Branch
Aims to reduce duplicity and promote efficiency and effectiveness in federal gov
Private sector used as example for reinventing government service delivery
Plan offers 32 actions both domestic and foreign-based programs

25. Reorganization Proposal
Notable reforms:
Consolidate federal economic assistance under newly-created agency in Commerce, Bureau of Economic Growth
Merge Labor and Education departments to create Department of Education and the Workforce
Transfer nutrition assistance from Agriculture to Health and Human Services, rename to Health and Public Welfare
Move rural housing loan guarantee and rental assistance programs to Housing and Urban Dev
Consolidate all federal lending programs for small business under Small Business Administration
Reassign program authority at DOT

26. Reorganization Proposal
Federal economic assistance reform:
Establishes Bureau of Economic Growth within Commerce
Agency would administer CDBG, EDA Economic Dev Assistance programs, USDA rural business and community grants
Bureau would also absorb federal-state regional commissions (ARC excluded)
DOT reform:
Transfers authority of air traffic control to non-profit entity
Homeland Security takes over administration of transportation security programs
Reassesses program authority under DOT Secretary (BUILD, INFRA)
Congressional action not being considered at this time

27. Additional Updates
Nomination of Assistant Secretary for Economic Development
John Fleming, former Louisiana congressman
Confirmation vote expected soon
Rescissions bill fails in Senate
Work left to do on reauthorization bills
Water Resources Development Bill (Senate)
National Defense Authorization Act (conference)
National Flood Insurance Program (Senate)
Recently extended through Nov.
House passed bill in Sep. 2017
Federal Aviation Administration (Senate)

28. Additional Updates
House T&I Chairman Shuster released infrastructure plan
Increases gas tax by $.15 and diesel by $.20
Eventual elimination of gas tax to replaced by VMT fees
National infrastructure funding (30% rural focus)
Reauthorizes EDA through 2023
EDA Elimination Act introduced in House
Rep. Ralph Norman (SC) – 5th District
Referred to Transportation and Infrastructure and Financial Services Committees

29. Questions?