2024 Legislative Issues/Agenda
Existing Policy Positions on Issues
- Support Port Everglades Navigation Improvement Program (PENIP) – Deepening and Widening.
- What We Want: Support the United States Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) who have consulted with responsible state and federal agencies regarding the planned investment of $1.35B to deepen and widen Port Everglades waterways. $600M of this investment will be for relocating and out-planting 723,000 corals. This will be the largest coral restoration program in the world. Also planned are robust adaptive management, seagrass and mangrove mitigations and a variety of monitoring plans and science-based environmental and restoration activities to ensure that the unique South Florida nature environment and marine wildlife are protected for the duration of the construction process. This will include rigid protocols to limit turbidity and threats to marine life. PENIP will deliver a project that has a high return on investment and is environmentally sensitive.
- Support Central & South Florida Flood Control System Re-Study by the USACE.
- What We Want: Advocate for approval of the Section 216 Flood Risk Management Study of the C&SF flood control system to allow project modeling, plan development and engineering design by the Assistant Secretary of the Army and additional appropriations of $899,000 for FY 24 and $1,757,000 for FY ’25 (assuming funding at $300,000 in FY ’25).
- Support the Bipartisan Pell Workforce Act.
- What We Want: Support the passage of H.R. 6585 which allows the use of Pell Grants for short-term training programs to assist “non-traditional” college students upgrade their skills, obtain better employment and enable younger students to begin a path to educational attainment with the goal of providing a more prepared workforce for the business community.
- Bolster Federal Support for the Pediatric Workforce.
- What We Want: Support legislation or investments to recruit, train, mentor and retain a diverse pediatric workforce in a wide array of settings across the care continuum
- Support Clean Energy Tax Credits.
- What We Want: Encourage Congress to preserve clean energy tax credits included in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 to reduce the costs associated with clean energy projects and to further serve as a driving factor in generating clean energy demand and new use-cases for electrification.
- Support Helping Kids Cope Act.
- What We Want: Urge Congress to pass the Helping Kids Cope Act (H.R. 2412) that establishes three new grant programs with Health Resources and Services Administration focused on urgent needs of pediatric mental and behavioral health care, including improving access to community-based services and support and training to enhance the pediatric mental health workforce, while investing in critical pediatric mental health infrastructure.
New Issues
- Support Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act
- What We Want: Urge Congress to pass the bipartisan Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act (S. 1557; H.R. 3238) to expand and strengthen the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit to facilitate and encourage private investment in the development and preservation of affordable and workforce housing.
- Real Estate Industry Items:
- What We Want: Encourage Congress to pass legislation that (i) seeks to increase housing inventory and spurs new housing supply, and which (ii) supports solutions which expand available affordable and workforce housing.
- Protect the FIRE/SAFER Grant Programs:
- What We Want: Urge Congress to pass the Fire Grants and Safety Act (H.R. 4090; S. 870) to protect the FIRE and SAFER grant programs; authorize the programs through FY 2028; and protect the programs through September 30, 2030.
- Support Legislation to Reduce and Stabilize Insurance Costs in Florida:
- What We Want: Encourage Congress to pass the Natural Disaster Risk Reinsurance Program Act of 2023 (H.R. 3525) which provides for a voluntary program available to individual states which guarantees the federal government will issue post-trigger event bonds to insurance companies thereby reducing or eliminating the “risk of ruin”. The bonds would fund the difference between the cap set on reinsurance requirements and the sum of homeowner damages caused by the event.
- Support the Southeast Florida Transformational Climate Pollution Reduction Grant:
- What We Want: Urge Congressional support for the Compact’s initiatives and the SE Florida Transformational CPRG Application for $220 M, intent to deliver large-scale investment in energy efficiency and clean energy projects in our low-income communities, benefiting household economics, improving public health, and stimulating expansion of green jobs.
- Support the Passage of the Charitable Deduction Act:
- What We Want: Ask Congress to pass the bipartisan Charitable Act (H.R. 3435/S. 566) to increase the available tax deduction for individuals and joint filers to further incentivize earners who do not itemize to support local charities serving our community.
- Support the HELP Act:
- What We Want: Ask Congress to pass the Human-Services Emergency Logistic Program Act of 2023 (S. 1729/HR. 3498), also known as the HELP Act to strengthen both the 211 and 988 networks and their ability to connect people with vital health and human services in Broward County and nationwide.