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W E E K L Y  U P D A T E    April 4,  2017
In This Issue
Talks Over Remaining FY17 Budget Continue
Reps. Levin, Joyce, and Slaughter Lead Letter on Fully Funding GLRI

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Talks Over Remaining FY17 Budget Continue 

With an April 28th deadline looming to pass legislation keeping the government funded for the remainder of FY17, House and Senate appropriators continue to discuss how they will proceed with the current budget process.  While appropriators seem confidant that they can move an omnibus appropriations bill that includes the eleven remaining appropriations bills, Congress is set to go on a two week recess at the end of the week, so it's highly likely that an omnibus bill will be pushed right up until the deadline at the end of this month.

There are numerous hearings and markups scheduled this week that are impactful to the region.  They include:

Today - 4/4/17

Senate 

Committee on Commerce, Transportation, and Science - " Keeping Goods Moving: Continuing to Enhance Multimodal Freight Policy and Infrastructure," 253 Russell at 2:30 PM.

House 

Committee on Energy and Commerce - "Discussion Draft: Brownfields Reauthorization," 2123 Rayburn at 10 AM.

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure - " Authorizing Coast Guard and Maritime Programs," 2167 Rayburn at 2 PM.

Tomorrow - 4/5/17

Senate

Committee on Commerce, Transportation, and Science - " Executive Session," 216 Hart at 10 AM.  Legislation that will be marked up during this session include:

  • S. 756, Save Our Seas Act of 2017 - This bill reauthorize's the marine debris program. Regional sponsors include: Sens. Gary Peters (MI), Sheldon Whitehouse (RI), Cory Booker (NJ), and Chris Coons (DE).
  • S. 701, A bill to improve the competitiveness of United States manufacturing by designating and supporting manufacturing communities.  Regional sponsors include: Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), Richard Blumenthal (CN), Angus King (ME), and Susan Collins ME).
House

Committee on Energy and Commerce - "Facilitating the 21st Century Wireless Economy," 2123 Rayburn at 10 AM.

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure - "FAST Act Implementation: States and Local Perspectives," 2167 Rayburn at 10 am.

For more information, contact  Matthew McKenna ,
Director of the Great Lakes Washington Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
Reps. Levin, Joyce, and Slaughter Lead Letter on Fully Funding GLRI

Led by leaders of the Great Lakes Task Force; Representatives Sandy Levin (MI), Dave Joyce (OH), and Louise Slaughter (NY), 63 bipartisan House lawmakers sent the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies a letter calling for the Subcommittee to fully fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) at $300 million in FY 2018.  President Trump's FY18 "skinny budget" proposed to eliminate all funding for the GLRI.  This is the largest number of House Members ever to sign onto the GLRI request to the Appropriations Committee.  A copy of the letter with all of the signees can be viewed here.  

For more information, contact  Matthew McKenna ,
Director of the Great Lakes Washington Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.

NEMWI: Strengthening the Region that Sustains the Nation