SAHCC 2023 Federal Legislative agenda

THE SAN ANTONIO HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: 

1. Supports legislation that would reduce the burden of taxes and regulations on businesses. 
2. Supports comprehensive immigration reform to help businesses meet their critical workforce needs and encourage economic growth, including lawful, permanent status for DACA Participants. 
3. Supports legislation that expands hiring and career opportunities, improves access to continuing education programs and increases small business opportunities for military spouses and transitioning veterans. 
4. Supports all actions to address supply chain constraints and encourage the free flow of goods and services with U.S. Trading Partners. 
5. Supports implementing policies, rules, and regulations that allow for the investment in successful and employer led workforce development programs. 
6. Supports annual appropriations requests for surface transportation funding (highways, transit, etc.) consistent with the provisions of the surface transportation reauthorization contained in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act/Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill (BIL).
7. Supports the receipt of federal funds approved by Inflation Reduction Act, and other appropriations legislation to expand and improve transportation, transit, aviation, military, and other infrastructure necessary to meet the continued growth of San Antonio and enhance the resiliency and sustainability of the San Antonio region. 
   

Access to Capital

• Supports enhancing access to capital in the form of grants for small businesses to be used for business services that will help them grow. 

Innovation, Research & Development 

• Supports increased funding for federal government programs, such as the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, that drive innovation and foster economic growth. 

Minority, Women and Veteran-Owned Small Businesses

• Supports efforts to strengthen the minority business community, including: 
• Expanding federal contracting opportunities for minority, women and veteran-owned small businesses. 
• Efforts to increase the number of minority, women and veteran-owned small businesses. 
• Efforts to integrate Hispanic businesses into the global economy. 
• Supports financial support for incubation and acceleration programs assisting small business with capacity building and job creation programs especially in HUBZones. 

Taxes & Regulations

• Oppose legislation or proposal that attempts to sacrifice the privacy of business owners.   
• Opposes legislation regulating a private business’s daily operations and or employment practices. 
  

Aviation

• Supports grants and other funding to facilitate the Terminal Development Plan for San Antonio International Airport. 
• Supports legislation that allows for a nonstop flight from San Antonio – Military City USA – to Reagan National (DCA). 
• Support FAA funding for consolidated facilities and critical infrastructure improvements within the civil portions of Kelly Field. 
• Supports the inclusion of regulatory, workforce education, and infrastructure support for Urban Air Mobility/Advanced Air Mobility industry as part of the FAA reauthorization. 

Broadband

• Encourages Public Private Partnerships between broadband providers and local organizations for the best product in construction, service, upgrades, and security. 
• Encourages utilization of Federally funded affordability programs in areas where cost concerns are high.  
• Supports digital literacy and online safety programing for communities. 
• Supports the FCC definition of broadband to equal upload speed of 100 megabits per second and download speed of 20 megabits per second. 
• Supports the continuation of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), facilitating internet access by alleviating the cost of internet service plans for qualifying households for at home internet service. 
• Supports the appointment of a commissioner to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), so there is a full commission. 

Business Expansion

• Supports protecting and strengthening The Opportunity Zone Program.

Energy

• Supports carbon-reduction proposals that are resource-neutral, economy-wide, and give San Antonio the flexibility to invest in and transition to low- and non-emitting technologies. 
• Supports additional federal funding for programs such as the Low-Income Home Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as it provides invaluable support and financial assistance to our San Antonio community members unable to pay their energy bills. 
• Supports legislation to prevent unreasonable and exorbitant natural gas price increases during a declared natural disaster, thereby protecting customers from unnecessary financial hardship as experienced during Winter Storm Uri. 
• Supports the allocation of federal funding and grant programs to incentivize research, demonstration, and deployment of evolving technologies that will promote innovation, infrastructure growth, and assist with net emissions reductions in Bexar County in a cost effective manner. 
• Supports retention in federal energy tax policy of a direct pay option for public power and a change in tax policy to reinstate the ability of public power to advance refund existing debt. 
• Supports appropriating $1 billion to the Department of Energy for implementation of the Defense Production Act to address the shortage of distribution transformers. 
• Supports the EPA giving greater consideration to the impacts of foreign transport on both Ozone and Particulate Matter (PM) on an area’s ability to meet Federal air quality standards. 

Housing

• Supports increasing and/or maintaining funding for programs used to increase multifamily and single-family housing production, as well as homeownership. Programs include but are not limited to the Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, Tax Exempt Bonds, Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD), Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), CHOICE Neighborhoods and Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME). 

Healthcare

• Supports delaying cuts to the Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program scheduled to be cut by $8 billion on Oct. 1, 2023. 
• Supports value-based care policies that promote ways hospitals and health systems can address non-medical drivers of health, and ensure certain flexibilities made possible by the public health emergency (PHE) declaration are made permanent to continue the transformation of care delivery and improve maternal and child health outcomes, with a particular focus on eliminating disparities. 
• Supports enacting policies to support today’s health care workforce and ensure a future pipeline of health care professionals to meet the nation’s demands for care, including: 
• Enhancing workplace safety for all team members, including enacting federal protections for health care workers against violence and intimidation.             
• Continuing to increase the number of residency slots eligible for Medicare funding to address physician shortages, including shortages of behavioral health providers. 
• Addressing nursing shortages, including by advancing solutions to nursing faculty shortages that constrain the ability to meet future nursing needs. 
• Making changes to National Health Service Corps loan repayment programs to ensure doctors and nurses may practice where the need is and not be completely restricted to certain facilities or geographic locations.
• Supports alternative options for affordable and high-quality health insurance plans available to small business owners and their employees. 
• Supports adjustments and appropriations to enhance the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP). 
• Supports legislation to expand access and improve quality, comprehensive mental health services/substance use disorder treatments, ensures telehealth flexibilities remain after the PHE ends, and enforce full parity for behavioral health services in PPACA. 
• Opposes CMS planned budget/pay cuts to ancillary medical providers. 

Immigration

• Supports increased allotment of H1-B visas for high-skilled immigrants to meet the needs of businesses. 
• Supports effective use of modern technology for enhanced, practical, and effective border security. 

Military, Veterans & Spouses 

• Supports sustaining and enhancing Joint Base San Antonio’s (JBSA) and Texas National Guard’s mission readiness, and ensure the long term protections of the region’s military bases by helping to preserve, protect and grow military missions – engaged in operational domains of such as flying training, space, cyber, and military medicine -- as well as the military installations in the San Antonio region. 
• Supports sustaining and increasing P4 partnerships with region’s military and pursue infrastructure funding through the National Defense and Authorizations Act (NDAA) and appropriations process for off and on base projects and other programs. 
• Supports authorizing and appropriating additional funding to improve Department of Defense (DoD) military readiness rates and reduce the maintenance backlog in aviation in our military services. 
• Supports robust public-private partnerships between the DoD and the private sector on sustainment of critical infrastructure, aircraft, and other military assets thereby leveraging decades of expertise and efficiency to ensure continued military readiness and long-term cost savings to the United States Government and taxpayers. 
• Supports key clarifications and modifications to Section 703 of the 2021 NDAA to help streamline the billing/collection process for BAMC and other military treatment facilities (MTF) who provide medical care to civilians. 
• Supports holding the 2023 Department of Defense Warrior Games in the City of San Antonio, and advocates for San Antonio to be considered to host the Games in future years. 
• Supports for the establishment of a Trauma Center of Excellence in San Antonio. 
• Supports the Army National Guard’s use of Martindale Air Field and consideration for additional Guard missions in San Antonio. 
• Support funding to the US Air Force (USAF) and Department of Defense in support of the 16th USAF Cyber Forces and related agencies. 

Surface & Public Transportation

• Supports increased funding opportunities for operations and capital expenses in collaboration with local partners to advance multimodal transportation options as identified and supported by locally driven processes. 
• Supports a multi-year extension of the Alternative Fuels Tax Credit. 
• Supports legislative language for the usage of alternative fuels as a transition toward a higher usage of electric vehicles as technology demonstrates usable range and capability. 

Water

• Supports increased Federal investment in water and wastewater infrastructure to help utilities address pressing needs. 
• Supports laws and regulations that provide a stable and equitable framework for managing water utilities.  
• Supports ongoing water conservation efforts, such as improving water use efficiency and the reduction of water loss.  
• Supports Water and Wastewater Emergency Assistance Program.  
  

Higher Education

• Supports enhanced FY24 funding for academic health centers through a full appropriations package to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the Department of Defense (DoD), and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Federal funding opportunities for academic medicine research and development, workforce development, and direct services through related federal agencies, along with potential funding opportunities through Congressionally Directed Spending/Community Project Funding, will continue to provide vital resources for our communities throughout San Antonio and the South Texas border region. 
• Supports preserving and enhancing the Federal Pell Grant Program by: 
• Extending eligibility to short-term/workforce training programs; 
• Increasing the annual maximum amount; 
• Expanding eligibility to DACA students; and 
• Increasing lifetime eligibility to 14 semesters 
• Supports strengthening under-resourced institutions & student support programs by investing in: 
• Strengthening Institutions (Title III-A of the HEA); 
• Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions; 
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities; 
• TRIO; and 
• GEAR UP

Public Education

• Supports full funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) by increasing the percentage funded to what was intended when authorized in 2004 and 2015. 
• Supports efforts to strengthen the teacher pipeline, including incentives toward entering the teaching profession, creating a system for transferability of certifications between states, and continuing to improve the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. 
• Supports increasing funding for federal Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) education programs and initiatives that help expand the STEM workforce. 

Workforce Development

• Supports increased investments in workforce programs driven by industry demand and streamlining access to wraparound support services that help students persist and complete their education and training. 
  

• Supports continued implementation of the Cross-Border Trade Enhancement Act program allowing communities and private sector to provide for alternative financing arrangements for certain services and for the construction and maintenance of infrastructure at land ports of entry and for other purposes.  
• Supports modernization of the U.S. Tax Code to allow U.S. businesses to effectively participate in the global economy and repatriate profits earned abroad. 
• Supports a capital increase for the North American Development Banks to fulfill its mission of improving environmental infrastructure and the quality of life on both sides of the border. 
• Supports strengthening the political and business relationships with governments from across the world to promote trade, strengthen global supply chains with strategic partners and foreign direct investment. 
• Supports the US to stabilize and honor existing agreements and advocate for trade partners to do the same, through the provisions and channels established in the existing legal framework.