Happy holidays
On behalf of the AWC Government Relations team, we wish all our city family members the happiest of holiday seasons. We know you have challenging jobs and that public service can be a difficult calling. This holiday season, we hope you’ll make time
to celebrate the successes you’ve had this year and focus on your own self-care.
Special thanks to our outgoing city officials
To those leaving office at the end of this year, thank you. We believe that anyone who steps up to serve as an elected official deserves our gratitude. Our communities wouldn’t be what they are without you. Thank you for your service. We send you
our best wishes for your next endeavors.
Yes, the next legislative session is nearly here!
January 10 is right around the corner. It will mark the first day of the 60-day legislative session. Last month we shared ideas for advocating through another virtual session. Here are three last-minute suggestions to prepare for 2022:
- Set up regular check-in meetings with your local legislators now. Get on their calendars in December so you don’t have to compete with other scheduling conflicts.
- Share your legislative agenda with your legislators so they know your community’s needs. Remember to talk to them about such topics as your city’s plan to use ARPA funds and your biggest community challenges and their
connection to the state.
- Refresh your advocacy toolkit by reviewing AWC’s advocacy tools and 2022 City Legislative Priorities.
Finally, don’t forget about the PDC guidelines and rules for city officials who lobby.
Congress avoids shutdown, House awaits Senate action on the Build Back Better Act
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the Build Back Better Act (BBBA), a nearly $2 trillion package that invests in families, workers, and businesses. The bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration. You can read the National League
of Cities’ overview of the sections of the BBBA that benefit cities. Additionally, late last week
Congress took action to avoid a government shutdown, passing a stopgap spending measure and moving the next shutdown deadline to February 18.