Tuesday, February 8, 2022
Hybrid Meeting In-Person and via ZOOM
Minutes
Present: Megan Barajas, Deborah Barmack, Peter Barmack, Carole Beswick, Greg Bradbard, Mike Burrows, Chris Carrillo, Mark Cloud, Ken Coate, Sandra Cuellar, Michelle Decker, Kevin Dyerly, Louis Goodwin, Otis Greer, M. Harrison, Fran Inman, Mark Kaenel, Lena Kent, Lowell King, Pam Langford, Mike Layne, Bill Lemann, Darcy McNaboe, Jacquelyn Mercado, John Mirau, Dan Murphy, Vikki Ostermann, Bansree Parikh, Catherine Pritchett, Thomas Rice, Michael Rivera, Dan Roberts, Dan Schenkel, Kristine Scott, Eric Ustation, Pete Van Helden, Michael Wells, Ray Wolfe, Marisa Yeager, and Frank Zabaleta.
Announcements: 1) The tour of Amazon Air next week February 15, 2022 is now fully booked and a confirmation e-mail has been sent to the participants. Please contact Sue Harrison if you would like to be on the wait list. 2) The University of Redlands will hold the inauguration of their new President, Krista Newkirk, on February 23, 2022. 3) The San Bernardino Valley College 95th gala has been rescheduled for April 1, 2022.
Lowell King, Chair presiding.
Motion by M. Burrows/Second by K. Dyerly/Passed: Minutes from February 1, 2022.
Motion by M. Burrows/Second by D. Roberts/Passed: Approve Michael Lewin as Alternate representative for Mirau, Edwards, Cannon, Lewin & Tooke.
Motion by the Judiciary Committee/Passed: Approval to send a letter of support for the nominations of the Hon. Kenly Kiya Kato and the Hon. Sunshine Suzanne Sykes to the U.S. District Court of the Central District of California.
Committee Chairs presented their federal legislative issues.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
- Urge bi-partisan support for H.R. 6602 (Aguilar-CA) the Affordable Housing Resident Services Act.
- Urge bi-partisan support for policies and bills that lead to lowering of fuel costs (gas prices).
- Acknowledge selection of March Air Force Base as preferred destination for the KC-46A Pegasus assignment and urge continued support until the tankers are officially located at March.
EDUCATION
- Support action to double the maximum Pell Grant Award to allow more Inland Empire students to complete college and earn degrees more quickly.
- Support ongoing investment to expand access to broadband technology for all Inland Empire students.
ENVIRONMENT
- Support for Delta Conveyance Project.
- Support H.R. 4647 (Huffman-CA) and S. 2430 (Feinstein-CA) Water Conservation Rebate Tax Parity Act.
- Support H.R. 972 (Calvert-CA/Takano-CA)) – Western Riverside County Wildlife Refuge.
- Encourage legislators to ensure funds from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act be made available and disbursed as soon as possible.
- Support federal cooperation with California to incentivize consolidation of water systems.
- Urge caution in consideration of legislation related to per- and polyfluoralkyl substances and support funding for monitoring and remediation.
- Support broader habitat conservation planning.
- Support funding for continued management of the Salton Sea.
HEALTH CARE
Urge immediate action to provide financial support for healthcare workers and hospitals which have been bearing the extreme expense of the public health emergency brought about by the pandemic, specifically:
- Requiring that Health and Human Services distribute remaining Provider Relief Funds immediately and that funding be replenished to ensure the long-term stability of hospitals.
- Continuing to block the 2% cut in Medicare payments to providers until the end of the public health emergency.
- Extending the deadline for hospitals to repay Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payments short-term loans which are now coming due.
JUDICIARY
- Support appointment of qualified candidates to fill existing judicial vacancies in the Central District of California, especially in the Eastern Division of that court, serving the Inland Area.
- Urge the Inland Empire Congressional delegation to support immediate action to expand federal court facilities in the Eastern Division of the Central Division of California.
- Support H.R. 4886 (Johnson-GA), the District Court Judgeships Act of 2021, which would authorize new judgeships to address urgent needs of the Eastern Division.
TRANSPORTATION
- Highlight three global supply chain concerns for the ports of entry and the Inland Empire Region; i.e., loan guarantees, TIFIA/RIFIA administration, and regional impact.
- Support Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding for critical Inland Empire projects.
A Q & A period followed.
The top issues identified by those present will be e-mailed to the members who will be asked to rate their order of importance.
Meeting adjourned at 8:35 a.m.