RLC Weekly: Kicking Off the District Work Period

June 23, 2023
In The News

Dear Colleagues,

Ahead of a two-week District Work Period, Members of the Regional Leadership Council (RLC) have taken action to implement the investments made in the last Congress and inform their constituents about how those dollars are making a difference. Here are a few of the highlights that came from the Council's work in Washington and back home:

Meeting with Secretary Denis McDonough

Sec. McDonough and RLC

Members of the Regional Leadership Council (RLC) and its chair, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), met with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough this week to discuss the ongoing effort to implement policies like the Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act. The PACT Act has the potential to be the largest expansion in Veterans' health care benefits in the VA's history, as it makes nearly 3.5 million Veterans eligible for the care and benefits they earned through their service. See more from the meeting here. 

Our Members are ensuring that Veterans in every community in America know about the PACT Act. Find examples of how they have reached Veterans here and here.

Protecting Access to Water

Kelly and Jackson Water

RLC Region 4 Leader Rep. Robin L. Kelly (IL-02) recently joined forces with Rep. Jonathan Jackson (IL-01) and local leaders to break ground on a new water mainline in Cook County, IL. This long-awaited project was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and Rep. Kelly showed the importance of it by remembering the families in Dixmoor that were without water for two weeks due to an extended water main break. This is one example of showing the progress and reach of the Investing in America agenda.

Investing in Affordable Housing

LBR Affordable Housing

RLC Region 10 Leader Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE-AL) secured $750,000 in Community Project Funding to New Castle County Hope Center to ensure quality, affordable housing is accessible to Delawareans. She commended the center for meeting local needs and connected their work to her own story of growing up in Philadelphia. Watch this clip to see how she localized the Investing in America agenda.

Sustaining Economic Growth

Kilmer and Worker talk by a dock

Members of the RLC also shared continued job creation in their home districts and states. RLC Region 5 Leader Rep. Derek Kilmer (WA-06) announced that a $9.4 million RAISE Discretionary Grant was awarded to the Port of Bremerton. This grant will put Washingtonians to work replacing a 48-year-old public breakwater. RLC Chair Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) joined Members of the Maryland delegation in applauding $1,375,686 in federal funding for the Maryland Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) to support local small- and medium-sized manufacturing businesses and create job opportunities in Maryland. Read more about this federal funding here.

What’s Next?

  • The Biden-Harris Administration announced the launch of the latest Investing in America Tour to inform the American people about how the investments passed last Congress are creating jobs and economic opportunity nationwide. Chair Hoyer commended the Biden-Harris Administration for organizing these events and highlighted the continued collaboration between the RLC and the White House. Learn more here.

  • The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is launching a $575 million grant program to build coastal resilience and climate adaption solutions. The program is part of a $3.6 billion investment in resilience funding included in the Inflation Reduction Act. Read more about this notice of funding here.

For more updates on how to implement the Investing in America Agenda in your community, please follow us on social media and share your story on how these investments are making a difference in your district. You can also visit our website for additional resources to help track these historic investments.