100-hour agenda holds little for local government issues

By Ed Rosado
Legislative Affairs Director 

When the 109th Congress left town in November 2006 it also left unattended scores of issues important to county governments and the citizens they serve.

On Jan. 4, 2007 the 110th Congress convened with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer quickly introducing a number of initiatives tailored to bring victories to the new majority Democrats.

Pelosi’s “100 Hours” agenda includes a House ethics package, a new effort to curtail federal deficit spending by implementing budget controls through pay-as-you-go requirements, enacting many of the security recommendations contained in the bipartisan commission examining the September 11, 2001 attacks, increasing the minimum wage, providing federal funding for stem cell research, allowing the government the authority to negotiate drug prices for Medicare, reducing student loan interest rates and allowing for increased environmental programs to address global warming by tapping into oil company drilling royalties.

Although these issues may resonate with the American voter, what will the 110th Congress do to attend to the needs of America’s counties? To address that answer, it’s instructive to review what Congress failed to do or impose over the last few years. 

On the enactment side: the last Congress imposed a significant burden on state and local government in its tax legislation when it required states and localities to withhold 3 percent of funds paid out to contractors, in effect making counties, cities and states arms of the IRS.

On the failure to act side: the 109th Congress failed to enact the Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act, despite the fact that the bill had passed both chambers. Likewise, the 109th House and Senate passed — but failed to enact — the Reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act.

The same fate awaited the re-authorization of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000. NACo has already called on the 110th Congress to act quickly on this legislation to reauthorize one year of payments to western U.S. forest counties. On the first day of the 110th Congress, Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) and Greg Walden (R-Ore.) introduced the legislation, which provides stable payments to counties and schools struggling with the loss of historic revenue-sharing from federal timber sales.

In the meantime, the continuing resolution that funds county government programs through 2007 will be up for consideration in mid-February. At stake, are funding levels for PILT, CDBG, highway programs and most domestic spending programs counties rely upon. Although it’s likely that Congress will “punt this one” by merely extending continuation of all programs at 2006 levels, there will be some efforts to increase spending in certain areas.

In addition to its 100-day agenda, the 110th Congress must pass a farm bill, an aviation reauthorization, a reauthorization of the children’s health insurance program and a federal budget for domestic programs in 2008.

NACo will be especially active in seeking passage of its new 2007 key legislative priorities, which include farm bill reauthorization; repeal of the withholding tax mandate and other federal tax changes; health and human services reforms; reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools Program; aviation reauthorization; and legislation and funding to assist counties with the methamphetamine crisis.