Issues

Infrastructure: Improving Water, Port and Sustainable Transportation Systems

  • The nation is in the grips of an epidemic of congested highways, crowded schools, aging water facilities, crumbling energy infrastructure, and a transit system pushed to the limits by overcapacity. 

    • Preparing America’s infrastructure for the future is a multi-faceted project that requires federal assistance to maintain and upgrade the nation’s infrastructure.
    • In order to upgrade our infrastructure to 21st century standards the Caucus proposes that a number of steps be taken to ensure that America’s infrastructure remains strong well into the future.  These steps include:

      • Increased funding for transportation, infrastructure, and mass transit projects

      • Increased funding focused on our nation’s energy resources including alternative energy; water systems, water and gas infrastructure and the nation’s power grid.

      • Increased funding for Environmentally Sustainable Community Development
      • Increased funding for Brownfield Redevelopment

Housing: Making our Homes and Neighborhoods Affordable and Sustainable

  • As 2008 progresses, the foreclosure crisis is having a profound economic impact on US GDP.  Experts have estimated that the crisis in the housing market will cause 2.2 million families to lose their homes to foreclosure this year and will cause US GDP will contract by about $166 billion.  Moreover, with foreclosure rates on the increase in 2008, state and local governments have also begun to see their tax bases shrink as well.  In most states, the growths of sales tax receipts will slow greatly as sales from construction-related purchases drop.  Revenue from property taxes will continues to stall and in many cases shrink as decreasing property values put downward pressure on the taxable value of many houses. 


  • At the same time that more families are dealing with the effects of rising foreclosure costs, in recent years a large and growing number of low-income families are facing a housing crisis as the cost of housing has escalated.  According to recent Census data the number of households with severe affordability problems has increased by 33 percent since 2000.  As much as 8.8 million renter households pay more than half of their cash income towards housing.  However, even as the need for affordable housing has grown, low income housing assistance has been steadily cut in order to deal with large budget deficits.


  • Although the caucus congratulates Congress on the passage of the bi-partisan Foreclosure Prevention Act with its $300 billion in loan guarantees, $180 million for homeownership counseling, and $3.9 billion for neighborhood stabilization funds, the members of Congress need to remain  vigilant in its efforts to ensure that ensure that hard-working men, women and families are not behind left to face declining property values and a loss of their life's savings.

Environmentally Sustainable Growth: Energy Block Grant Program

  • In a world where it has become increasingly difficult to maintain access to long-term energy resources, the nation must adopt an energy strategy that values conservation, energy efficiency and greater alternative energy use.  Local governments are uniquely positioned to foster a grass-roots approach to the development and deployment of energy efficiency and conservation projects.
  • The Caucus is not alone in its belief that the country needs to focus on funding alternative energy and energy efficiency projects.  A number of experts and groups including the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National Association of Counties, and the National League of Cities, as well as local and state officials from across the nation have advocated for a renewed commitment to these renewable energy programs.
  • Last December, President Bush signed into law the bipartisan Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (H.R. 6).  This legislation included the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program. The Energy Block Grant’s estimated $2 billion annual disbursement is split four ways.  Cities and counties receive 68 percent of the funds, 28 percent is set aside for the states, while the remaining 4 percent is split equally between Indian tribes, and a program that awards competitive grants to local governments or groups of local governments who were not entitled to other funding.
  • Government leaders understand that the program allow local governments to continue their efforts to encourage the use of renewable energy technologies like wind, solar, and geothermal, support the use of smart growth planning and zoning to reduce automobile usage, create more energy efficient buildings, and implement energy savings campaigns.  Moreover, this grant would enable local governments to support projects that create new employment opportunities in their communities while presenting real world examples of renewable energy projects that work.