CC Resolution No. 2611RESOLUTION NO. 2611
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN,
TEXAS, ESTABLISHING THE CITY OF BAYTOWN'S FEDERAL
LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR THE 2019 116TH UNITED STATES
CONGRESSIONAL SESSION; AND PROVIDING FOR THE EFFECTIVE
DATE THEREOF.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN,
TEXAS:
Section 1: That the City Council of the City of Baytown, Texas, hereby establishes
the City of Baytown's Federal Legislative Priorities for the 2019 1161h United States
Congressional Session, which is attached hereto as Exhibit "A" and incorporated herein for all
intents and purposes.
Section 2: This resolution shall take effect immediately from and after its passage by
the City Council of the City of Baytown.
INTRODUCED, READ and PASSED, by the affirmative vote of the City Council of the
City of Baytown this the 12th day of September, 2019.
NDON CAP TILLO, Ma or
ATTE T:
Lfff ICIA BRYSCH, Ci lerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
I NACIO RAMIREZ, S ity Attorney
\\COBFS01\Legal\Karen\Files\City Council\Resolutions\2019\September 12\Establis62019FedemlLegislativePriorities.doc
Exhibit "A"
to BAYTOWN LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
BS 116TH UNITED STATES CONGRESS
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
✓ Support full remediation of the San Jacinto Waste Pits Super Fund site to ensure area
residents have safe water conditions for fishing and other recreational purposes.
DISASTER RECOVERY
✓ Support measures that provide for the expedient distribution of disaster recovery resources,
to include short-term and long-term recovery efforts.
✓ Support the City's efforts to recover from Hurricane Harvey and mitigate damage in future
disasters, including support for the following projects:
• Reconstruction and elevation of the East District Wastewater Treatment Facility;
• Reconstruction and elevation of critical sewer lift stations in flood prone areas; and
• Construction of an additional east/west corridor in Baytown to provide another option
for the safe exit of east Baytown and west Chambers County during emergency
situations.
PUBLIC SAFETY
✓ Maintain or expand federal resources for public safety grant programs that provide core
services provided by the City of Baytown:
• Federal Homeland Security Grant Programs (Urban Areas Security Initiative, Port
Security, Buffer Zone Protection, and State Homeland Security);
• Police Grant Programs (COPS and Byrne/Justice Assistance); and
• Fire Grant Programs (Assistance to Firefighters, Staffing for Adequate Fire and
Emergency Response, and Fire Prevention and Safety).
✓ Support measures to reduce excessive train crossing blockages.
PUBLIC WORKS
✓ Support implementation of the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Authority (WIFIA)
as authorized with the enactment of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act
(WRRDA) to assist localities in need of resources for flood control, water supply, and
wastewater infrastructure.
✓ Support the continued exemption of Public Water Systems and Water Treatment Facilities
from the Department of Homeland Security CFATS regulation.
✓ Provide funding for hardening of existing infrastructure to mitigate natural and man-made
disasters.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
✓ Oppose funding reductions to the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) as
well as any revision to the administrative cap.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
✓ Support the continuation of funding for the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the American
Community Survey, along with efforts to broaden and deepen workforce and labor data at the
zip code level.
to BAYTOWN LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
BS 116TB UNITED STATES CONGRESS
FLEXIBILITY TO ALLOCATE PEG FEES
✓ Support legislation (similar to the Community Access Preservation, or CAP Act of 2013, S.1789)
that would eliminate the distinction between "capital" and "operating" with regard to how
public, educational, or governmental (PEG) channels/studios utilize their support fees.
FRANCHISE FEES
✓ Oppose legislation that would reduce or eliminate a municipality's ability to collect franchise
fees for use of rights -of -way.
PUBLIC FINANCE
✓ Oppose efforts to limit or remove the exemption on the taxing of municipal bond interest.
✓ Oppose legislation that would prohibit any special district of the city from being able to sell
tax-exempt bonds.
UNFUNDED MANDATES
✓ Oppose legislation that would require municipalities to fund former State and Federal
programs without providing the associated resources.
NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT (NEPA) REGULATIONS
✓ Support efforts to streamline and reform duplicative and burdensome requirements currently
mandated by NEPA.
ARTS AND CULTURE
✓ Support continued funding for NEA and EDA grant programs to improve arts and cultural
opportunities in our community and to restore historic areas of our city.
LOCAL AUTHORITY
✓ Oppose any legislation that would require local governments to adopt federal collective
bargaining standards.
✓ Oppose any federal preemption of state defined -benefit plans, such as the Texas Municipal
Retirement System.
PRIORITY TRANSPORTATION INITIATIVES
✓ Support efforts to improve severe traffic and safety conditions along Interstate 10 at the San
Jacinto Bridge.
✓ Support additional funding to States to address regional transportation planning and traffic
improvement projects.
✓ Advocate modification of the FHWA formula for more equitable distribution of resources to
municipalities, especially those with a large industry presence.
✓ Support Army Corps of Engineers efforts to fund and make necessary improvements to Cedar
Bayou, which will impact quality of life, economic growth, and mitigate impacts to homes and
critical infrastructure during future flood events.