Congress To Consider Measure To Extend Government Funding
The U.S. House of Representatives is set to take up a continuing resolution (CR) this week to keep the Federal government funded past the last day of the fiscal year, which is September 30. As of Monday afternoon, the text of the CR has yet to be released, but it is expected to extend FY 2021 funding through sometime in early December, and also include additional emergency disaster funds and increased aid for Afghan refugees.
The CR also could be paired with legislation to suspend the debt limit, rather than increase it, to make it a more appealing vote to a broader swath of lawmakers.
Additionally, it is possible, but uncertain, that the CR also could include a short-term extension of the FAST Act, which is the current authorization of all surface transportation programs. While Congress is supposed to consider a bipartisan infrastructure bill by September 27, the current authorization is set to expire on September 30, so this could provide them a little wiggle room if necessary.
House Transportation Committee Considers
Additional Infrastructure Needs
Congressional committees have continued to write a massive $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill, which is being dubbed the Build Back Better Act. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee marked up its portion of the package, which includes $60 billion to make America’s infrastructure more sustainable, resilient, and equitable, and to reduce carbon pollution from the transportation sector. Among the many provisions included is $350 million for the U.S. Coast Guard to construct a new heavy Great Lakes icebreaker.
According to the Committee, other key highlights of the Build Back Better Act include:
$4 billion for reduction of carbon pollution in the surface transportation sector—addressing the largest source of transportation greenhouse gas emissions;
$4 billion to support neighborhood equity, safety, and affordable transportation access, including reconnecting communities divided by existing infrastructure barriers;
$6 billion to advance local surface transportation projects;
$500 million to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) hazard mitigation revolving loan fund program;
$1 billion for climate resilient Coast Guard infrastructure;
$2.5 billion to the Maritime Administration to support more sustainable port infrastructure and supply chain resilience;
$2 billion to invest in sewer overflow and stormwater reuse projects, as well as a greater federal cost share for projects that serve financially distressed communities; and
$500 million in grant assistance to invest in the backlog of wastewater projects on Tribal lands.
NEMWI will continue to monitor the Build Back Better Act as details continue to emerge.
Resolution Opposing Proposed Canadian Nuclear Storage Site Near Great Lakes Reintroduced in House
Congressman Dan Kildee (D-MI), who is a member of the bipartisan Congressional Great Lakes Task Force, introduced a resolution (H.Res. 647) opposing Canada’s new plan to build a permanent nuclear waste storage site in the Great Lakes Basin. Over the last several years, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), which is a non-profit established by the Canadian government, has considered plans to build a facility that would permanently store more than 50,000 tons of high-level nuclear waste in South Bruce, Ontario, which is located within the Great Lakes Basin. Concerns about potential Canadian nuclear waste sites in the Great Lakes region have continually drawn strong criticism from the Great Lakes Congressional delegation. A project proposed by the Canadian power company Ontario Power Generation (OPG) to build a permanent nuclear waste storage facility less than a mile from Lake Huron was abandoned last year after strong pushback from Congressional leaders throughout the region, including Rep. Kildee and Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI).
Rep. Kildee’s resolution has the following co-sponsors: Representatives Peter Meijer (MI-03), Andy Levin (MI-09), Jack Bergman (MI-01), Debbie Dingell (MI-12), Anthony Gonzalez (OH-16), Mike Gallagher (WI-08), Bill Huizenga (MI-02), David Joyce (OH-14), Raja Krishnamoorti (IL-08), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Brenda Lawrence (MI-14), Joseph Morelle (NY-25), Betty McCollum (MN-04), John Moolenaar (MI-04), Tim Ryan (OH-13), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Haley Stevens (MI-11), Rashida Tlaib (MI-13), Fred Upton (MI-06), and Jackie Walorski (IN-02).
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