2019 Legislative Agenda

Port Everglades Deepening & Widening Project

The Florida Congressional delegation will continue to push for the project’s inclusion among the U.S. Army Core of Engineers’ (ACOE) ‘New Starts’ in the FY-2020 ACOE Workplan, which will move the project into construction phase. 

Pell Grant Eligibility for Quality Short-Term Training Programs

The staff members we talked to were receptive to our proposal. About a month after the Summit, the State College presidents received a letter from U.S. Sen. Rick Scott pledging his education for the job they want,” the senator wrote in his letter.

Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act

During meetings with Members of Congress, delegates were able to secure support for H.R. 1763 from U.S. Reps. Val Demmings, Lois Frankel, Greg Steube and Darren Soto. Those Members of Congress committed to co-sponsoring the bill and the team also received positive feedback from the remaining members who they met with.

Transportation

The policymakers noted how important it was to put a “face” on a policy proposal to bring resources back home to Broward County. All the parties agreed on the need to streamline project delivery and recognized South Florida’s need to improve safety for our motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.

Funding for additional Customs & Border Patrol officers

U.S. Rep. Diaz-Balart is very supportive of our efforts in advocating on this issue. House Appropriations staff advised us that our efforts to obtain additional CBP officers should focus on the U.S. Senate, which released a proposed budget that only included 119 additional CBP officers, compared to 1,200 staffers in the House budget.

National Flood Insurance Program

The Members of Congress and their staffs favor approving a long-term National Flood Insurance Protection program that enables a robust private market, increases the number of properties covered by flood insurance and focuses on vulnerable areas, including Florida. Most of the individuals we spoke with favor increasing private flood insurance alternatives as a way of stabilizing premium costs and expressed a willingness to seek compromise on issues, such as mapping parity and creating a “glide path” to ease the sticker price of higher insurance costs. 

Fund a Re-Study of the Central and South Florida Flood Control System

We received encouraging promises to follow up on the status of the Central and South Florida Flood Control system (C&SF) with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers after explaining the importance of flood control to South Florida and the need to evaluate an aging system of canals, dikes and levees that is nearly 70 years beyond its original design. Several members expressed interest in providing support as signatories to the delegation letter.