January 19, 1999
The Honorable Board of Supervisors
County of Los Angeles
383 Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration
500 West Temple Street
Los Angeles, California 90012
Dear Supervisors:
FEDERAL AGENDA FOR THE 106TH CONGRESS
(3-VOTES)
The first session of the 106th Congress convened on January 6, 1999. The beginning of the session will be marked by the Senate's continuation of the process that started when the House of Representatives voted to impeach President Clinton. The highly charged and deeply partisan impeachment debate in the House and the subsequent Senate trial have created a high degree of uncertainty over how this Congress will work this year to enact legislation. The narrow Republican majority in the House also adds to this uncertainty.
The economic boom which the Country continues to experience will continue to pay dividends for the Federal budget. A Federal surplus was enjoyed last Federal fiscal year, the first in over 30 years. A surplus is again projected with estimates of nearly $80 billion in Federal Fiscal Year 1999. Consequently, there will again be debates over the disposition of the surplus. Like last year, options will include providing tax relief, increased defense spending, shoring up the Social Security trust fund, spending more on other domestic initiatives, and/or making a payment toward reducing the nation's debt. These sometimes conflicting proposals will leave Federal aid to state and local governments still vulnerable to Federal budget cuts.
For the first session of the 106th Congress, this letter updates the County's Federal goals and policies, which the Board approved on January 20, 1998. These policies guide our Federal advocacy efforts in addition to other positions adopted by your Board, and have been developed with input from County Departments and our Washington, D.C. representatives.
THEREFORE, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOUR BOARD:
1. Approve the updated overall Federal goals and policies for the 106th Congress contained in this Board letter, which seek to maximize our Federal revenues, secure greater flexibility over the use of Federal funds, and lessen the adverse impact of Federal policies on County costs, and also approve funding priorities for individual appropriations bills which are identified in Attachment I and specific legislative policies which are presented in Attachment II.
2. Instruct the Chief Administrative Officer, affected departments, and the County's Washington, D.C. representatives to work with our Congressional delegation, other state and local governments, and interest groups to achieve the County's goals and policies.
OVERALL FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PRINCIPLES AND GOALS
Federal revenues account for over one-fifth of total County revenues and much of our State revenues are determined by Federal policies, such as Medicaid and foster care. County costs also are affected directly by Federal mandates and indirectly by Federal policies on immigration, the economy, and health and welfare.
Since 1987, California has been a "donor" state which contributes more in Federal taxes than it receives in Federal spending. In 1997, Federal taxes collected in California exceeded Federal spending in the State by $14.3 billion.
Accordingly, the County's Federal agenda must focus on the following principles:
· Maximize Federal revenues.
· Secure greater flexibility over the use of Federal funds.
· Lessen any adverse impact of Federal policies on County costs and decision-making authority.
The County will pursue these principles in the context of a Federal budget climate where, in recent years, it has been difficult to preserve the base level of Federal revenue to the County, let alone secure increased revenues. Adoption of these overall legislative policies will allow the County's Washington, D.C. representatives to respond quickly to legislation and proposals that could significantly affect the County.
To achieve these overall principles, the County will pursue the following legislative positions:
1. Support proposals which would provide a greater share of total available Federal program funding to the County or California, and oppose proposals which would reduce the County's or State's share of total funding.
2. Support proposals which would provide local governments with greater decision-making authority over the use of Federal funds, and which provide for direct grants or mandatory pass-through allocations to large urban counties.
3. Oppose proposals which would impose new unfunded mandates on the County.
4. Give priority to increasing or preserving Federal funding for programs and activities that ensure equitable treatment of the County and/or California.
5. Oppose proposals which would finance increased spending for one program by cutting other programs of greater benefit to the County, or which would result in a net revenue loss or cost shift to the County.
SPECIFIC LEGISLATIVE POLICIES ON FEDERAL ISSUES OF COUNTY INTEREST
Attachment I identifies County funding priorities for individual appropriations bills, which set funding for discretionary programs. Specific recommended legislative policies for Federal authorization and reform legislation of County interest are identified in Attachment II. These policies cover major issues which may be addressed by Congress this year, such as Medicaid, mandatory Social Security, welfare, immigration, employment and training, housing and community development, and the Older Americans Act.
The recommended policies also reaffirm many existing Board policies and are consistent with the County's overall Federal goals stated above. As in the past, the Federal Agenda will be updated to reflect Board actions over the course of the 106th Congress.
Respectfully submitted,
DAVID E. JANSSEN
Chief Administrative Officer
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Attachments
c: All Departments Heads
Legislative Strategist
Attachment I
COUNTY FUNDING PRIORITIES IN APPROPRIATIONS BILLS
This attachment outlines the County's funding priorities in individual appropriations bills which the County's Washington, D.C. representatives will pursue in the 106th Congress, consistent with existing Board policies. Within these priorities, the County will seek funding for its requirements consistent with political feasibility.
It should be noted that these priorities do not include health and welfare entitlement programs, such as Medicaid, for which funding levels are not determined through annual appropriations bills. Specific recommended Board policies relating to Medicaid and welfare are included in Attachment II.
1. Commerce, Justice, State, and the Judiciary Appropriations Bill
State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP): The County supports funding for SCAAP to fully reimburse state and local costs of incarcerating criminal aliens.
Immigration and Naturalization Activities: The County supports funding for activities such as border enforcement, INS investigators, automated fingerprint identification systems to track criminal aliens, prosecution of criminal aliens and alien smugglers, naturalization assistance and processing activities, and improved methods of collecting from sponsors.
2. Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill
Reimbursement of Undocumented Immigrant Emergency Medical Costs: The County supports full Federal reimbursement for the costs of emergency medical care to persons who are in the country because of illegal immigration.
Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act Funding: The County supports increased funding of CARE Act programs.
Public Health Funding: The County supports increased Federal support for immunization, tuberculosis, maternal and child health, family planning, sexually transmitted disease, and childhood lead poisoning prevention programs, as well as new funding for breast and cervical cancer, violence and injury prevention, food safety, and chronic disease programs.
Mental Health: The County supports increased funding for the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant and the Children's Mental Health Services Program.
Refugee Assistance: The County supports increased funding to help refugees become self-supporting and to mitigate the loss of Food Stamps for refugees in the U.S. over seven years. The County also supports a more equitable allocation and flexibility in the use of Refugee Social Services and Targeted Assistance formula grants funds, such as the ability to serve refugees in the U.S. over five years.
Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA)/Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Programs: TheCounty supports full funding of JTPA/WIA programs, which are especially important in light of the County's relatively high unemployment rate.
Older Americans Act Programs: The County supports funding for nutritional services for older immigrants who are no longer eligible for Food Stamps, and employment services for older non-disabled immigrants who are ineligible for Supplemental Security Income benefits.
3. Transportation Appropriations Bill
San Gabriel Valley Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Improvement Program: The County supports safety and mobility improvements to grade crossings along the rail lines between downtown Los Angeles and the Los Angeles/San Bernardino County lines.
4. Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill
Los Angeles County Drainage Area (LACDA) Project: The County supports full construction capability of $50 million for the LACDA Project.
Marina del Rey Dredging: The County supports $4.5 million in funding to dredge the channel and to formulate and implement long-term solutions for shoaling problems and for the safe disposal of contaminated sediment.
5. Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Bill
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME: The County supports increasing CDBG and HOME funding levels, maintaining their existing state/local distribution formulas, and opposes efforts to increase set asides. The County also supports a permanent extension of the 25 percent public service cap on CDBG funds.
Public and Assisted Housing: The County supports an increase in appropriations for operating and capital funds for public housing. The County also supports full funding of the Section 8 program, increased flexibility to local decision makers in local Federal housing operations, and opposes reductions in Section 8 administrative fees.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Disaster Aid: The County supports sufficient funds for FEMA to cover all unpaid disaster claims, including the County's Northridge earthquake claims.
Attachment II
RECOMMENDED FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE POLICIES ADDRESSING ISSUES
OF MAJOR COUNTY INTEREST
This attachment contains specific legislative policies on issues which may be addressed by the 106th Congress.
1. Welfare Reform
Support proposals which would increase the number of indigent County residents who are eligible to receive Federally-funded assistance.
Support sufficient funding for welfare reform commensurate with any increase in services or administrative responsibilities needed to implement the reforms.
Support legislation to reauthorize and appropriate continued funding for the Welfare- to-Work program in Federal Fiscal Year 2000 and subsequent years, and support proposals which increase funding to provide employment-related services to non-custodial parents of children on welfare.
Support proposals which would simplify the administration of Temporary Assistance Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, and Food Stamps.
Oppose proposals which would reduce funding for TANF or the Social Services Block Grant.
Support proposals which would enhance the effectiveness of welfare-to-work programs, such as granting states and localities greater flexibility in determining work requirements and by giving states credit for keeping TANF applicants and recipients off of welfare by placing them into unsubsidized jobs in calculating TANF work participation rate requirements.
Support proposals which would provide state and local governments with adequate time and resources to implement new welfare reform changes (e.g., work participation, eligibility, and the ability to track eligibility time limits across state lines) before being subject to penalties and disallowances. States and localities must be held harmless from penalties when the failure to meet new requirements results from factors which are beyond their control, such as the lack of clear program instructions.
Oppose proposals which would increase the County's unreimbursed costs of providing and administering health and human services, such as reducing Federal funding or denying Federally-funded benefits to indigent County residents who will remain eligible for County-funded services.
Support exemptions for grandparents and other relative caretakers from work requirements and time limits on assistance under the TANF block grant.
2. Medicaid
Support maintaining Medicaid as an entitlement program.
Support a more equitable allocation of Federal Medicaid funds to reduce the current disparity under which some states, such as California, receive far less Federal Medicaid funds per Medicaid recipient than other states.
Support expansion of Medicaid coverage for persons with HIV and AIDS.
Support more targeted disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments to hospitals, and support eliminating or increasing the DSH hospital-specific cap which limits payments to public hospitals.
Support reform of Medicaid financing to providers to encourage efficient use of resources and develop and emphasize ambulatory care services to low-income patients without jeopardizing total available Medicaid funds.
Oppose proposals which would increase the County's unreimbursed costs of providing and administering health care services, such as proposals which would reduce the level of Medicaid payments and the scope of Medicaid covered services and persons.
3. Employment and Training
Support programs that provide special training, remedial education, job placement, career enhancement, and other employment services to low-income families, at-risk youth, and displaced workers so that they may enter the competitive job market.
Support providing local government officials greater control and flexibility over the planning and implementation of employment and training programs.
Support the pass-through of Federal employment and training funds to local areas based on relative need as measured by factors such as unemployment, poverty, and the number of welfare recipients and displaced workers.
Support legislation which allows persons from the military to obtain credit for their training, and promote the transfer of such skills to the private sector and other government agencies to avoid the time and cost of retraining.
4. Housing and Community Development
Support programs providing community development, economic development, and housing for low-income families and individuals to improve their living conditions and the economichealth and infrastructure of the communities in which they reside.
Support proposals which provide maximum authority and flexibility to local decision-makers in the day-to-day operations of Federal public and assisted housing programs.
Support retention of the CDBG directly to counties; retain current HOME and CDBG state/local distribution formulas.
Support permanent extension of the CDBG public service cap from 15 percent to 25 percent for Los Angeles County and the City of Los Angeles.
Support an expedited increase in the per capita private activity bond cap from $50 to $75, and index the cap for inflation. Private activity bonds are issued by state and local governments to provide low-interest loans for first-time home buyers, industrial development, and affordable housing.
Support creation and funding of a national plan to end homelessness, which addresses the priority of the homeless mentally ill.
Support proposals which consolidate and provide increased administrative flexibility for homeless housing and support programs. Oppose proposals which mandate specific levels of funding for permanent housing, and cap supportive services and emergency shelter services.
Support extension of full Federal benefits to the Los Angeles Supplemental Empowerment Zone.
Support full funding of the Economic Development Administration (EDA), and increase EDA funding for defense industry adjustment and Brownfields grants.
5. Anti-Crime
Support the allocation of Local Law Enforcement Block Grant funds to local governments based on their relative need and responsibility for criminal justice activities, as measured by violent crime rates and criminal justice expenditures including, but not limited to, jails, courts, prosecution and incarceration, and probation.
Support a more equitable allocation of State Prison Grant funds by requiring each state to pass through funds to counties based on their relative share of total state and local correctional costs. Also, support amendments which would allow counties to use State Prison Grant funds to pay for the costs of operating newly-constructed correctional facilities, such as the County's Twin Towers.
Support the elimination or reduction of local match requirements under Crime Act programs, such as the Cops on the Beat (community policing) program, for financially-
distressed local governments.
Support increased Federal resources to assist County justice agencies with crime laboratory improvements, drug laundering intervention, jail automation, and tracking of criminal aliens.
Support increased funding for probation under Federal community policing programs, but not at the expense of currently financed law enforcement activities.
Support proposals which promote community prosecution programs.
Support increased Federal involvement to combat criminal street gangs. Support increased Federal funding for juvenile justice programs which promote a balance of funding between punitive intervention efforts and prevention investments.
Support funding to train and equip emergency first responders, including members of law enforcement, fire departments, and medical and public health responders, to handle acts of terrorism in Los Angeles County.
Support enactment of legislation which expands Federal jurisdiction to prosecute hate crimes based on gender, sexual orientation, and disability.
Support proposals which allow for an intercept of Federal tax refunds of probationers who owe restitution.
6. Children and Family Services
Support proposals which would provide a subsidy for legal guardian relative caregivers who have assumed full time care and responsibility for abused and neglected children and avoid foster care placement for such children.
Support proposals which promote income security, housing, health care, and education and vocational opportunities for youth emancipating from foster care. Support proposals to lower the age provision of the Title IV-E Independent Living Program to 14 years.
Support proposals which separate eligibility for Title IV-E Adoption Assistance Program payments and eligibility for Title IV-E Foster Care, and reduce administrative costs.
Support legislation that requires Federal agencies to update their records within five days of receipt of information from state Title IV-D child support agencies.
Support legislation to promote and increase domestic violence intervention, prevention, and education programs.
7. Child Health Insurance
Support measures which provide states with greater flexibility to use State Child Health Insurance Program block grant funds for family health insurance coverage, expanded health and mental health benefits for at-risk children, legal immigrants, and support of community-based delivery systems.
8. Older Americans Act Reauthorization
Support reauthorization of Older Americans Act (OAA) programs for at least a three-year period with continued discrete funding for current OAA programs.
Support preserving and strengthening the existing network of services provided to older persons, with a priority on low-income and minority elderly, and support retaining the non-means-tested provision of OAA services.
Support a more equitable interstate allocation of OAA funds by eliminating current hold harmless provisions which penalize states, such as California, whose elderly population is growing faster than the national average, and support retention of current provisions which provide for the equitable intrastate allocation of OAA funds.
9. Refugee Act Reauthorization
Support reauthorization of the Refugee Act programs which assist refugees during their initial period of resettlement, and which offset state and local costs of assisting refugees.
Support a more equitable allocation of Refugee Social Services and Targeted Assistance funds, and support proposals which provide local governments with greater decision-making authority over the use of funds, including the flexibility to serve refugees who have been in the U.S. over five years.
Oppose proposals which would restrict the eligibility of refugees for other Federal programs, such as TANF and Medicaid, or which would shift costs of providing cash and medical assistance to refugees from the Federal government to state and local governments.
10. Air, Water and Resources
Support measures which permit greater local flexibility in dealing with potential contamination and pollution from storm water runoff, and oppose changes in Federal law and policy which restrict the ability of the County to maintain facilities so they can function as designed.
Support proposals and funding which improve water quality through research and development of technologies for desalination of brackish water, perchlorate, methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), arsenic, radon, and disinfection byproducts.
Support amendments to the Clean Water Act which exempt from its provisions those routine operation and maintenance activities on existing publicly-owned flood control and water conservation facilities.
Support legislation which repeals the mandated use of oxygenated fuel additives, such as MTBE.
Support Federal funding to states and local governments for watershed, coastal and shoreline environmental restoration, maintenance, and protection projects, including, but not limited to, design-depth dredging of navigable channels, acquisition, beach renourishment, and pollution control.
Support increased Federal resources for the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area from the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. Support the full allocation of Land and Water Conservation Fund dollars, and oppose their use for deficit reduction or other purposes.
11. Waste Management and Superfund
Support measures which protect local governments from excessive and unjustified liability for hazardous waste cleanup.
Support proposals which establish a redemption value on paint cans to promote recycling of leftover paint and/or paint take-back programs for consumers to return cans.
Support development of long-term markets for recycled materials and other end-use products.
Support the development of alternative technologies, other than landfilling, for the management of residual waste after diversion activities.
Oppose proposals which would allow transport of nuclear waste through the County.
12. Federal Disaster Assistance
Support legislation to authorize Federal reimbursement of straight-time labor costs for emergency response work, and oppose proposals that would reduce Federal disaster aid or increase the proportion of disaster aid or hazard mitigation costs which must be borne by state or local governments.
13. Utilities and Communications
Support Federal legislation that would allow the County, a significant consumer and producer of electricity, to reduce its utility costs through nationwide deregulation and competition.
Oppose Federal legislation or regulation that would jeopardize California's electric restructuring plan.
Support proposals which would assign additional radio spectrum to public safety agencies.
Oppose measures which preempt local government authority over zoning of television, radio, and telecommunications broadcast towers.
Support proposals which encourage competition between local telephone companies and long distance carriers, in order to reduce costs to consumers.
Support Federal legislation which prohibits "slamming" and "cramming" of telecommunications service, and limits the financial liability of affected consumers. Support proposals which protect consumers from unsolicited commercial electronic mail ("spamming").
14. Tobacco Settlement
Support proposals which reimburse local governments for indigent and employee health care costs attributable to tobacco products, reduce youth access to tobacco products, and promote community-based tobacco prevention and intervention efforts.
Oppose proposals which weaken the ability of local government to sue the tobacco industry, preempt the ability of local government to regulate tobacco products, and weaken the ability of the Federal Food and Drug Administration to regulate nicotine, unless part of an overall settlement which is beneficial to the County.
Support proposals which prevent the Federal government from taking proceeds from settlements between the tobacco industry and state and local governments.
Oppose proposals which limit the ability of individuals to sue the tobacco industry for tobacco-related damages.
15. Health Industry
Support proposals requiring prior notification to state and local government by licensed health facilities granted protection under Federal bankruptcy laws to ensure maintenance of appropriate patient care.
Support proposals which allow public hospitals to access discounted pharmaceutical pricing schedules available to the Federal government.
16. Census
Support proposals which promote an accurate, unbiased and inclusive count for the 2000 Census, and support the use of scientifically sound sampling methods to augment the direct count to ensure as accurate a count as possible.
17. Federalism
Support proposals which ensure the input of state and local governments before implementing any Executive Order relating to the powers of state and local governments.
Oppose proposals which preempt local land use decision-making, exempt certain categories of land use from zoning requirements, or limit the ability of local governments to determine appropriate uses of property within their jurisdiction.
18. Cultural
Support increased Federal funding for the arts.
19. Voting
Support legislation which permits registrars to remove names from voting rolls when unable to confirm residency, permits the use of Social Security numbers on voter registration affidavits, establishes a system for local elections officials to ascertain and determine the status of Federal felons on probation or parole, permits the U.S. Postal Service to return undeliverable official elections materials without charge to elections officials, and establishes the use of mid-decennial census statistics for the translation of election materials.
20. Social Security
Oppose proposals which mandate Social Security and Medicare coverage of state and local government employees.