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W E E K L Y  U P D A T E  May 11th, 2020
 
In this Week's Issue:
Senate Committee Advances Two Water Infrastructure Bills
U.S. House Returns to Consider Additional Coronavirus Relief
Coronavirus Crisis Causing Major Revenue Shortfalls in States, Cities
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Senate Committee Advances Two Water Infrastructure Bills

The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works has approved two pieces of legislation aimed at addressing the water infrastructure and the drinking water infrastructure throughout the country. The bills, the America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2020 and the Drinking Water Infrastructure Act of 2020, are being labeled as potential critical parts of a sweeping infrastructure package that Congress could turn to in the future to help boost the economy post-COVID-19.

The America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2020 (AWIA 2020) serves as the Senate's 2020 work toward the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), legislation that Congress typically focuses on every two years. The bill authorizes approximately $17 billion for the Army Corps to conduct water infrastructure projects. Among the key provisions included in the bill for the Great Lakes are:
  • The formal authorization of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study-Brandon Road project, which focused on preventing the spread of Asian carp to the Great Lakes;
  • An adjustment of the federal/local construction cost share of the Brandon Road project to 75 percent federal/25 percent local;
  • The authorization of a $25 million Great Lakes comprehensive flood protection study; and
  • The authorization of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) in FY 2022 at $375 million.
The Drinking Water Infrastructure Act of 2020 includes $2.5 billion in federal authorizations specific to the protection of national drinking water priorities. It reauthorizes programs under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) to provide resources and technical assistance to communities' critical drinking water needs.

While the Committee unanimously approved by voice vote both bills, it remains unknown as to when the full Senate might consider the legislation. The House Transportation and Infrastructure is currently also drafting a potential WRDA bill, however has yet to announce when their legislation might be released.
U.S. House Returns to Consider Additional Coronavirus Relief

The U.S. House of Representatives is set to return to DC this week for the first time since April 23, and for the first full week of legislative business since the week of March 24th, due to concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The House Democratic leadership has expressed a desire to move forward an additional relief package aimed at addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. The package, which could be released and voted on as early as this week, will likely include more funding for expanded testing, additional federal funds to local and state governments, expanded unemployment benefits, more food stamp funds, and direct assistance payments to individuals and families. 

According to news sources, this phase 4 coronavirus relief package, or a CARES 2.0, could contain more than an additional $1.2 trillion in federal assistance. However, even if the bill is able to move forward in the House, the Republican majority in the Senate has expressed their desire to wait and see how the $2.2 trillion allocated through the first CARES Act impacts the economic damage created by the pandemic, so it is likely that final legislation could stall in Congress.
Coronavirus Crisis Causing Major Revenue Shortfalls in States, Cities
The continuing coronavirus crisis is being accompanied by major revenue shortfalls in states and cities nationwide.  The Northeast-Midwest Institute released a concept paper on April 13 highlighting the urgent need for federal action to replace non-recoverable state and local revenue shortfalls resulting from COMID-19 mitigation initiatives, which is available here.
Governors, mayors, and local officials increasingly are sounding the alarm that they already have major revenue gaps due to business closures and unemployment, and that these revenue shortfalls are projected to grow in the weeks and months ahead.
A selection of news articles reporting these state and local revenue gaps and the need for major federal support follows:
This Week in Washington


In the Senate:
 

In the House:

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