Northeast-Midwest Weekly Update
– 29 March 2004
Headlines
·
LIHEAP
·
Organic
Agriculture
·
Sea Grant
·
Brownfields
·
Defense Supply
Chains
·
Clean Water
·
Trade Adjustment
Assistance
·
Great Lakes Legislation
LIHEAP
-----------
Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Jack Reed (D-RI), co-chairs of the
Northeast-Midwest Senate Coalition, are circulating a dear colleague requesting
for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) $3 billion in fiscal
2005 and $3 billion in advance funding for fiscal 2006. Reps. Jack Quinn
(R-NY) and Marty Meehan (D-MA), co-chairs of the Northeast-Midwest
Congressional Coalition, are circulating a similar letter in the House.
The signature deadline is March 31 for the House and April 6 for the Senate.
Contacts: Kris Sarri
with the Northeast-Midwest Senate Coalition (202/224-0606) and Michael Beckerman with the
Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition (202/226-9496).
ORGANIC AGRICULTURE
-------------------------------
Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) are seeking signatures
on a letter requesting organic agriculture appropriations. Organics continues
to be one of the fastest-growing sectors of American agriculture, with retail
sales increasing more than 20 percent each year over the past decade. The
signature deadline is April 1. Contacts: Brian Baenig with Senator
Leahy (202/224-5239) or Garrett
Murch with Senator Snowe (202/224-5344).
SEA GRANT
----------------
Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and John Kerry (D-MA) are collecting
signatures on a letter seeking appropriations for the National Sea Grant
College Program. The letter requests $68.4 million, a $6 million increase
from fiscal 2004. Sea Grant provides high-quality research responsive to
the concerns of coastal constituents. The signature deadline is April 2.
BROWNFIELDS
-------------------
Rep. Melissa Hart (R-PA) is seeking co-sponsors for two bills that help provide
access to the funds needed to clean up brownfield sites. H.R. 3891 would
permit the use of certain private activity bonds for environmental remediation
at brownfield sites. H.R. 3892 would create tax-advantage accounts
allowing business to expense the cost of environmental remediation.
Contact: Bill Rys with
Rep. Hart (202/225-2565).
DEFENSE
SUPPLY CHAINS
--------------------------------
Reps. Nancy Johnson (R-CT) and James McGovern (D-MA) are seeking signatures on
a letter requesting $9 million in fiscal 2005 for the New England Manufacturing
Supply Chain. The program helps meet defense procurement shortages while
bolstering the region’s small manufacturers. Contacts: Doug Lathrop with Rep. Johnson
(202/225-4476) and Cindy Buhl with
Rep. McGovern (202/225-6101).
CLEAN
WATER
---------------------
Senators Paul Sarbanes (D-MD) and James Jeffords (I-VT) are circulating a
letter asking Budget Committee conferees to sustain the Senate provision of
$5.2 billion for the Clean Water/Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Funds.
Contact: Charlie Stek
with Senator Sarbanes (202/224-4524).
TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE
-------------------------------------------
The Senate Manufacturing Task Force is circulating a letter supporting appropriations
for the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms (TAA) program administered by the
Department of Commerce. The modest increase to $16 million will directly
assist small and medium-sized manufacturers and, as a result, thousands of
American jobs will be created and saved. Signature deadline is March
30. Contact: Kris
Sarri at the Northeast-Midwest Senate Coalition (202/224-0606).
GREAT LAKES LEGISLATION
-----------------------------------
The House recently passed the Hydrographic Services Amendments of 2004 (H.R.
958), which authorizes $2.0 million per year for the Great Lakes Water Level Observation
Network. NOAA operates the network in order to provide real-time water
level information, which is especially needed during low water years. NOAA’s
annual budget has not provided enough funding because there is no authorizing
language for appropriations to the Great Lakes in the
Hydrographic Services Improvement Act. The House Great Lakes Task Force and
Representative Dale Kildee (D-MI) supported this authorization.
The Senate approved the Oceans and Human Health Act (S. 1218), which
authorizes the establishment of a coordinated federal research program to help
understand the role of oceans and the Great Lakes in human
health. Such an understanding is particularly important for the Great
Lakes where there are greater numbers of invasive species changing the
ecosystem, harmful algal blooms, and contaminated fish. The Senate Great
Lakes Task Force co-chairs encouraged the Senate Commerce Committee to include
the Great Lakes in this legislation.