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2009-2010 Large Urban County Caucus Lobbying Priorities

Four Key Focus Areas have been identified by the Large Urban County Caucus (LUCC) Steering Committee for 2009-2010.   LUCC will be proactively working with Congress and others to advance these issues and believes that restoring partnerships are essential and the federal government must work with metropolitan elected officials in developing national policies and programs that impact urban communities.

Restore the Partnership for American Health: Counties in a 21^st Century Health System

• Restore Federal Entitlement to Health Benefits (H.R. 2209) and VA Benefits Before Conviction.
• Primary Health Care for All and Protect the Local Safety Net.
• Fund Diversionary Programs for the Mentally Ill in Jail.
• Adequate Federal Funding for Medicaid Payments and SCHIP, including Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) programs.
• Access to Community Information and Referrals for Human Services.

Support for OurNation’s Transportation Network (Reauthorization of SAFETEA-LU)

• Ensure Adequate and Equitable Funding for Transportation (Mass Transit, Bridges, Freight, Rail and Roads), including Consideration of an Increase or the Indexing of the Federal Gasoline Tax and the Reinvestment of Accrued Interest Generated by the Highway Trust Fund.  Alternative Sources of Funding Should be Examined Through Pilot Projects and Research.  The Surface Transportation Program’s (STP) Funding and the Federal Bridge Program Must be Increased and STP should be Distributed Based on Population.   The Set Aside of the Off-System Bridge Program Should Change from 15 Percent to 25 Percent, and Increased Planning Funds for Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and Public Transportation are Needed.
• Support for a New Incident Management Grant Program, and a New Program Focused on Reducing Urban Congestion in Metro Regions.
• Support for a $20 Million Dollar Increase for the Federal Highway Administration's Local Technical Assistance Program.
• Implement Reforms that will result in Efficient Delivery of Projects While Protecting the Environment and Citizen Participation. 

Building Urban Communities

• Support for the Sustainable Communities Initiatives, and the Livable Communities Act of 2009(S. 1619).
• Support for Comprehensive Prisoner Re-Entry Legislation and Efforts to Dramatically Lower Recidivism Rates in County Jails and State Prisons by providing Full Funding for the Second Chance Act.
• Ensure Adequate and Equitable Funding for Water infrastructure.
• Sustained Funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Developments’ (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), and Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP).
• Combat Gangs and Assist at Risk Youth by Providing Sustained Funding to the Department of Justice’s Juvenile Accountability Block Grants (JABG) and Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Programs;
• Support for NACo’s Green Government Initiative, including full funding for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) and Alternative Energy;
• Support for Mitigating the Negative Impacts of the Nation's Foreclosure Crisis.
• Continued Support for Efforts to Combat the Sexual Exploitation of Children.

Improving Government Operations

• Support the Restore the Partnership Act of 2009 (H.R. 3332).
• Support for the Repeal of the Three Percent Withholding Tax on County Purchases (H.R. 275/S. 292);
• Strengthening Emergency Preparedness, Prevention, Response and Recovery;
• Support County Government Access to the General Service Administrations’ Contract Schedule for the Acquisition of Environmentally Preferable "Green" Commodities and Services (H.R. 1766).

The National Association of Counties’ Large Urban County Caucus (LUCC) identifies urban challenges and provides input in developing national solutions to assist metropolitan communities nationwide. Each year LUCC establishes key lobbying priorities that have national scope & importance to metropolitan counties.

The Caucus advocates these key lobbying priorities with the assistance of NACo's eleven policy steering committees. For more information or fact sheets regarding these issues, please contact Dalen A. Harris, NACo Associate Legislative Director and LUCC staff liaison at 202- 942-4236 or email dharris@naco.org.