SOW Simon & Co 10222021 - Laserfiche WebLink

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9 We provide regularly scheduled updates to our clients on legislation, regulations, and funding opportunities of concern to local interests and transportation agencies. The Washington Friday Report is our weekly update that provides a comprehensive review of the Administration’s initiatives and policy directives, Executive Actions or Executive Orders, bills signed into public law, bills introduced by Congress, hearings, budget and appropriations updates, federal grant opportunities, and best practices and innovative approaches in local government. In response to critical unfolding events, we provide our clients with Special Reports that cover significant national developments, providing an important update with all the key details they should see right away. Our Special Reports offer immediate analysis on news, including the President’s actions or important votes on Capitol Hill. WORK PLAN Federal Affairs in 2021 Americans welcomed President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Vice President Kamala D. Harris into the White House on January 20, 2021 against a backdrop of communities across the country struggling to manage the coronavirus pandemic. The public health crisis has also shed light on systemic issues. This has created a renewed sense of urgency to facilitate an understanding of local government’s role managing the public health response, administering economic relief to impacted individuals and businesses, and continuing to provide access to employment, education, health care, and other essential services. President Biden quickly acted to provide another round of pandemic-related relief through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. He then pivoted toward the modernization of the American infrastructure system – both hard and soft “human” infrastructure – that was a central issue in his 2020 presidential campaign. He proposed a Build Back Better Agenda to facilitate long-term, equitable recovery and reinvestment in our nation. Last November, American voters elected the former vice president to the presidency and elevated Democrats to very narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress. The Senate is currently split with 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans, with Vice President Kamala Harris serving as the tie- breaking vote as needed. The House of Representatives is currently composed of 2 20 Democrats and 212 Republicans, representing the smallest majority in modern history. As Congress moves beyond its focus on emergency response to the pandemic and gains more bandwidth to consider other major pieces of legislation, lawmakers have pivoted in earnest to efforts to deliver the comprehensive infrastructure package that President Biden promised on the campaign trail. Congressional leaders and those with jurisdiction over key House and Senate committees are redoubling their efforts after failing to negotiate a comprehensive infrastructure package during the 116th Congress. Unable to reconcile separate pieces of infrastructure legislation in the House and Senate, Congress approved a one-year extension of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act (P.L. 114-94) and then a short-term second extension through October 31, 2021. These extensions have given lawmakers more time to negotiate and pass a long-term, bipartisan agreement on infrastructure, if there is the political will to accomplish it this year. Given the current alignment between the Legislative and Executive Branch and an anticipated grim outlook for the majority to retain its seats in the 2022 midterm elections, Congressional Democrats are moving quickly to advance key components in the “Build Back Better” agenda as called for by President Biden before any midterm campaigning begins. Moving forward, we recommend that the City focus on the ongoing implementation of key pieces of coronavirus emergency relief legislation and prepare to take advantage of new federal resources if the Build Back Better Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act are passed and enacted into law. We would look forward to working with the Administration and lawmakers on your DocuSign Envelope ID: 96DFE48D-519D-44F7-9CDC-44AC4D3EAE4A