MEMORANDUM 42 Natural Resources Department Phone: 941-745-3723 415 1oth Street West Fax: 941-741-3227 Bradenton, FL 34205 www.mymanatee.org MANATEE COUNTY FLORIDA To: Board of County Commissioners From: Charlie Hunsicker, Director Date: December 13, 2010 Subject: Federal Legislative Review and Washington Briefings As we prepare our 2011 federal legislative priorities for the upcoming congressional session, questions have arisen on the appropriate approach to the new Republican majority in the House of Representatives and the Democrat majority in the Senate. As in years past, our key congressional contacts begin with our local representatives, Congressman Vern Buchanan, and Congresswoman Kathy Castor, along with our two Florida US Senators, Nelson and Rubio. In addition, members of key congressional committees, which may receive requests for appropriations to support Manatee County's key legislative initiatives, will be important to contact as well. As discussed previously, these key issues include federal funding for the Automated Fingerprint Identification System, the Port Connector Road, Anna Maria Island Beach Renourishment, supplemental support for the United Community Center, Automated Traffic Management System, and mapping for stormwater infrastructure. Face-to-face briefings by County Commissioners with individual members of Congress while in Washington D.C. have proven very valuable to press the importance of these local projects, especially when so many worthy local projects are under consideration. Attached is a memorandum from the Twenty First Century Group discussing our strategy for carrying through with briefings scheduled for March 9-12, 2011. cc: Ed Hunzeker, County Administrator Nick Azzara, Information Outreach Coordinator APPROVED> !N ©PEI\l SESSION DEC 1 4 2010 OOARD OF COUNTY CGMI1.1I~~IOI\IE.R$ MANATEE COUNTY. FLORIDA LARRY BUSTLE* MICHAEL GALLEN* JOHN R. CHAPPlE* ROBIN DiSABATINO* DONNA G. HAYES* CAROL WHITMORE* JOE MCCLASH District I District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 District 6 District 7 TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY GROUP 434 NEW JERSEY A VENUE, S.E. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20003 (202) 488-2800 FAX: (202) 488-3150 http://www. tfcgr:p.com/ JACK FIELDS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER December 13, 2010 To: Mr. Charlie Hunsicker, Director, Natural Resources Department Manatee County, Florida From: Jocelyn Hong, Principal Twenty-First Century Group With Republicans set to take control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 112th Congress, we are continuing to work on a new strategy for Manatee County on Capitol Hill. As you know, shortly after the mid-term elections, the Republican Party announced a ban of congressionally directed spending or earmarks. Recently, however, Republicans seem to be rethinking the idea and questioning if they would be giving too much power to the Executive Branch. According to a Politico article dated December 9th, some Republicans are discussing exemptions to the earmark ban for transportation projects, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other water projects. Capitol Hill insiders are predicting a slew of alternative methods to fund projects. These would include phone calls and letters to executive agencies to request funding. Lawmakers are also talking about creating a more detailed grant process in authorizing committees to make sure money gets to the right place. We continue to believe that Manatee County is well situated to receive funding for the Port Manatee Connector Road, the Automated Traffic Management System, the GIS Stormwater Mapping, and the Anna Marie Island Shore Protection Project. In regards to the United Community Center and the Automated Fingerprint Identification System, we need to continue to build relationships in Congress and continue to gamer support where we can and search for grant opportunities to fund these programs. In regards to the U.S. Senate, Democrats, led by Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye, strongly defended the use of earmarks. Chairman Inouye argues that a moratorium on earmarks would do little to cut spending. Instead, it would empower the Obama Administration and weaken Congress when it comes to deciding how federal dollars are spent. In light of this, we advise the Board of County Commissioners to continue submitting appropriations requests to Senator Bill Nelson. I met with Senator Nelson in November, speaking to him specifically about the AFIS program, and am working diligently to continue to educate both he and his staff about the merits of this program. ; Page 12 In reviewing your new initiative, the Courts Assisting Veterans (CAV) program in Manatee County, the amount needed to fund this program does not meet the funding threshold for an appropriations request. We would suggest working with your Manatee County Veteran's Department and seek funding opportunities through available grants. We are also looking to set up a meeting next week with Mr. Brian Lawrence, Staff Director, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs for the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. Brian is a valuable asset on Capitol Hill in regards to Veteran Affairs, and he may know of some alternative funding sources available for the CAV program. In regards to future strategy, we propose the following outline: I. Meeting with relevant members of the Florida delegation 1. Congressman Vern Buchanan 2. Congresswoman Kathy Castor 3. Senator Marco Rubio 4. Senator Bill Nelson II. Meeting with Governor-Elect Rick Scott's Washington Office III. Building Support with Relevant Committee Leadership: 1. Congressman John Mica o Incoming Chairman of the Transportation Committee 2. Congressman Frank Wolf 3. Congressman Hal Rogers o Incoming Chairman of the Appropriations Committee 4. Congressman John Duncan 5. Congressman Nick Rahall 6. Congressman Peter DeFazio Charlie, we consider it an honor and a privilege to represent you and Manatee County, Florida. We look forward to working with you in the upcoming congressional session. Page 2 of5 GOP gets queasy over earmark ban By: Jake Sherman December 9, 2010 04:34AM EST After agreeing to kill earmarks, some of the most conservative GOP lawmakers are already starting to ask themselves: What have we done? Indeed, many Republicans are now worried that the bridges in their districts won't be fixed, the tariff relief to the local chemical company isn't coming and the water systems might not be built without a little direction from Congress. So some Republicans are discussing exemptions to the earmark ban, allowing transportation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and water projects. While transportation earmarks are probably the most notorious -think "Bridge to Nowhere" - there is talk about tweaking the very definition of "earmark." "It's like what beauty is," said Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.). "Everyone knows what a bridge to nowhere is, or an airport that lands no airplanes, or a statue to you -everyone knows that's bad. It's easy to say what an earmark isn't, rather than what an earmark is." The issue has popped up most frequently at the Conservative Opportunity Society, the caucus founded by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) in the early 1980s. During their Wednesday morning meeting last week, caucus members had a long discussion about how the Republican Party could redefine "member-directed spending," as earmarks are formally called on the Hill. Conservatives like Roe, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and Iowa Rep. Steve King are among those trying to figure out a longer-term, sustainable way to get money back to projects in their districts. "This isn't trying to be too cute by half of what is an earmark and what isn't," Bachmann told POLITICO on Wednesday. "But we have to address the issue of how are we going to fund transportation projects across the country?" These questions come as Republicans enter their second consecutive Congress with an across-the-board ban on all member-directed spending. Everywhere from K Street to Capitol Hill, insiders are asking how projects across the country will get money. Many think the spigot is closed, and they are none too pleased. file://C:\Documents and Settings\chunsicker\Local Settings\ Temp\notesA13ECB\~web31... 12113/2010 Page jot) Conservatives also are frightened that they've ceded too much control to the executive branch, leaving local highway and water project decisions to bureaucrats. Bachmann, a favorite among tea partiers, said that Article I of the Constitution gives Congress "the authority to make discriminatory decisions, which means proactive decisions about which roads are built." Insiders are predicting a slew of work-arounds to shake loose some cash. That includes phone calls (creatively called "phone marking") and letters ("letter marking") to executive agencies to request funding. Lawmakers are also talking about creating a more detailed grant process in authorizing committees to make sure money gets to the right place. Or they could work their way in the back door by quietly asking the Senate -where Democrats don't have an expansive ban on earmarks -to add money for certain projects. "Now, you're going to have members calling the administration; then you have to ask yourself, why are you here," said Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho). Bachmann says Congress should exempt "roads, bridges and interchanges" and recommends that if a town, city, county or state approves a project, a lawmaker in Washington should be able to submit a request- a practice she says she has followed. Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) says Congress should earn back the public's trust