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Senate Committee to Markup Far Reaching Conservation Bill
The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee will markup S. 2051, the America's Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Act on
Tuesday, December 17th at 9:30 a.m. The bill, which was introduced by EPW Committee Chair John Barrasso (WY) and ranking member Tom Carper (DE), will reauthorize or establish several important government wildlife conservation programs. Key components of the ACE Act include:
- Reauthorizes the North American Wetlands Conservation Act until 2025;
- Reauthorizes the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Act until 2025;
- Reauthorizes the Chesapeake Bay Program until 2025;
- Reauthorizes the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails network and the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Grants Assistance Program until 2025;
- Commissions a study by the National Academy of Sciences regarding the pathways and mechanisms of the transmission of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in the United States;
- Establishes a CWD task force to develop an interstate action plan for state and federal cooperation relating to the disease;
- Establishes a program to provide grants to states and Indian tribes to compensate livestock producers for losses due to predation by federally protected species such as wolves or grizzly bears;
- Establishes a Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize for technological innovation to reduce -human-predator conflict using non-lethal means;
- Authorizes funds to combat the threat of invasive species;
- Authorizes the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to issue depredation permits to livestock producers to allow for the taking of black vultures or common ravens under specified circumstances during calving or lambing season; and
- Encourages partnerships among public agencies and other interested parties for promoting fish conservation.
For more information, please contact
Matthew McKenna
, Director of the Great Lakes Washington Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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House Approves Great Lakes Fishery Legislation
The House passed the Coastal and Great Lakes Communities Enhancement Act (
H.R. 729
) by a vote of 262-151. The bill, which was made up of different legislative proposals aimed at helping provide resources to coastal and Great Lakes communities affected by erosion, coastal storms, and high water, included the
Great Lakes Fishery Research Authorization Act
(GLFRAA)
.
GLFRAA, which was originally introduced by Representatives Mike Quigley (IL) and Fred Upton (MI), provides a formal authorization for the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Great Lakes Science Center so that it can continue to conduct monitoring, assessment, science, and research, in support of the bi-national fisheries within the Great Lakes Basin. The bill authorizes $17.5 million per year for FY 2020 through FY 2029. The bill now moves to the Senate, where companion GLFRAA legislation has been introduced by Senators Gary Peters (MI), Rob Portman (OH), Debbie Stabenow (MI), and Tammy Duckworth (IL).
For more information, please contact Matthew McKenna, Director of the Great Lakes Washington Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute. |
Congress Could Take Up Legislation Restoring SALT Deduction
The U.S. House of Representatives could consider this week the Restoring Tax Fairness for States and Localities Act (
H.R. 5377
), as introduced by Representative Tom Suozzi (NY). The bill would fully restore the state and local tax (SALT) deduction for 2020 and 2021, while also eliminating the marriage tax penalty by doubling the cap to $20,000 for joint filers in 2019. The bill proposes to pay for these provisions by returning the top individual tax rate from 37 percent back to 39.6 percent, which was the top individual tax rate prior to the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.
Last Congress, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act capped the SALT deduction at $10,000, meaning that taxpayers who pay more than $10,000 in state and local taxes can only deduct that amount. The cap has disproportionally impacted many states in the Northeast and Midwest regions, as compared to other regions that traditionally have lower tax rates in place. The bill, which was approved by the House and Ways Committee last week, has received the backing of a handful of organizations including the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National Association of Counties, and the National League of Cities.
For more information, please contact Matthew McKenna, Director of the Great Lakes Washington Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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NEMWI: Strengthening the Region that Sustains the Nation
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