National League of Cities to Keep a Watchful Eye on the Lame Duck Session

With key issues for cities on the line, the National League of Cities (NLC) said today it will keep a watchful eye on Congress during the upcoming lame duck session. Given that the continuing resolution to fund domestic spending will expire November 17 and that significant leadership changes will occur in January, NLC officials are concerned that the upcoming lame duck could be used to push through programs that would harm cities and towns.

"We made significant gains in funding for programs critical to cities this year, particularly with the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)," said NLC President James C. Hunt, councilman from Clarksburg, West Va. "And we made inroads in our fight for fair telecommunications reform. But if Congress folds many issues into a single omnibus appropriations bill, we will be watching closely to ensure that our issues are protected."

NLC has been a leading opponent in the fight against passage of the Advanced Telecommunications and Opportunity Reform Act (H.R. 5252), which was approved by the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. According to the NLC, if adopted, the bill would undermine local cable television franchising authority, deprive state and local governments of needed revenue, and confine broadband-video competition to a few well-to-do neighborhoods. Although it seems unlikely that the bill will reach the Senate floor on its own, there is a possibility that the bill -- or portions thereof -- might be attached to broader spending legislation during the lame duck session. NLC, along with its coalition local government partners, will continue to urge Senators to oppose this bill.

Other Areas of Concern to the NLC:

• Housing and Community Development: The House has already passed H.R. 5576, the Transportation-Treasury-Housing and Urban Development Appropriations (TTHUD) bill, which includes $3.9 billion for CDBG grants. The Senate version, which has only been adopted by the Senate Appropriations Committee, includes $4.1 billion. Both versions are significant increases over FY 2006 levels
• Immigration: Although it is unlikely that Congress will take up the issue during the lame duck session, NLC will continue to push for a comprehensive approach to immigration reform, including enforcement and a path to citizenship for those immigrants currently in the US during a new Congress.
• Eminent Domain: Right before the mid-term recess, the House passed H.R. 4772, the Private Property Rights Implementation Act of 2006, which would allow challenges to city zoning decisions to bypass state courts and go directly to federal court. The bill also made it easier for developers to bring a claim against a municipality that a zoning decision reduced the value of their property. NLC argued that the bill would rob constituents of their ability to control the character of their own neighborhoods