January 2024 - Parks & Recreation - 23

ing levels that leadership in each of the two chambers is
proposing. Congressional Democrats and Senate Republicans
are aiming to follow the topline levels mandated
under the summer 2023 debt limit legislation brokered
by President Biden and then-Speaker McCarthy, while
House Republicans, spurred by members of the House
Freedom Caucus, are seeking to enact even steeper cuts.
Complicating matters further is whether foreign aid will
be provided to Israel, as well as the potential for additional
foreign aid to Ukraine. House Republicans are split on the
Ukraine question, with many urging for no further spending,
and others asserting that further aid should be contingent
on measures related to U.S. border security. The
dealmaking on these variables that takes place this month
will be instructive for how a final spending bill shakes out.
Most of NRPA's top priorities in the FY24 spending
bill, including Land and Water Conservation Fund
stateside assistance and the Clean Water State Revolving
Fund green infrastructure set-aside, fall within the
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies spending
bill, which has a deadline of February 2 for final
passage. NRPA will continue its advocacy work to cut
through the noise and ensure key park and recreation
priorities get the funding they deserve.
Continued Implementation of Major
Climate and Infrastructure Laws
We are now in year three covered under the landmark
Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (IIJA) and year
two covered under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA),
the most comprehensive climate bill in U.S. history.
Through both laws, beneficial investments for local
park and recreation stakeholders are being made across
the country. IIJA increased funding to key infrastructure
programs, such as those funding green infrastructure and
active transportation infrastructure, and IRA has provided
new pots of funding for activities related to climate and
environmental justice - such as an urban tree planting
initiative, grants to address urban heat islands and more.
Federal agencies and Congress are working together
to maximize the benefits of both bills. Specifically for
the IRA, given that many of the streams of funding
in the legislation were brand new, federal agencies are
continuing to roll out program guidelines and funding
announcements in 2024. NRPA will continue to stay
on top of these announcements and provide relevant
updates for how NRPA members can access and implement
funding.
Election Year
2024 is an election year for all of the House, a third of
Senate seats, and, of course, the presidency. Lawmakers
will have a particularly keen eye to the politics of their
actions. In election years, compromise on legislation typically
declines during the months leading up to November.
Election years - and particularly the August recess -
also present great opportunities to invite your members of
Congress to do a site visit. NRPA encourages its members
to leverage this, as lawmakers are looking to get themselves
out into their states and districts during this crucial time,
which presents an important occasion to build relationships
and goodwill with lawmakers, developing them as
park and recreation policy champions.
NRPA is primed to advance key policy priorities for
the local park and recreation sector. Be on the lookout
for alerts from our team so that you can get involved by
engaging with your elected officials to support key priorities,
and to pursue federal-funding opportunities.
Dan McCarthy is Senior Manager of Advocacy at NRPA
(dmccarthy@nrpa.org).
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