As the 116th Congress kicks off in early 2019, attention will turn to major policy initiatives that were unfinished in the previous session and at the top of this priority list will be infrastructure.
The BDA is planning events in the coming months to further its position as a thought leader on infrastructure finance – from a Main Street perspective. As key details continue to emerge, the BDA will provide updates.
Background
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee released a discussion draft this summer, outlining at a very high-level, priorities for a future package. A focus of the draft was innovative financing mechanisms, including public-private partnerships. The BDA views this as an opportunity to advance member priorities: PAB’s, advance refundings and continued protection of tax-exempt municipal bonds.
These events will not only help drive the narrative for the need of a sweeping infrastructure overhaul but allow the BDA to position itself as a policy expert for this discussion.
February 5th – U.S. Chamber of Commerce
America’s Infrastructure: Time to Invest
U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Washington, DC – February 5th
You’re invited to attend America’s Infrastructure: Time to Invest, hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Bond Dealers of America, on February 5 at the Chamber Headquarters. To register, click here.
BDA Participation
BDA member Alan Polsky, SVP, Dougherty & Company, LLC, will participate in a panel discussion entitled, “Utilizing Public-Private Partnerships“. Mr. Polsky’s remarks will focus on how bonds can be used more efficiently to supplement infrastructure investment in the United States.
Additional Information
This summit will discuss various investment options and show the broad business community support for making enactment of a federal infrastructure modernization plan a reality in 2019.
March 12th – BDA Hosted Fly-In and Congressional Briefing
Breakfast Briefing – Capitol Hill
Tentative Schedule – March 12th, 2019
Featured Congressional Speaker
- Moderator-Mike Stanton, BAM (Confirmed)
- Representative from BDA Muni Committee Leadership
- Representative from BDA Public Finance Leadership
- Outside Expert
- Issuer Representative
Roundtable Topics
- Preservation of the tax-exemption
- How cautious do we need to be?
- Will the mounting debt and deficit put the exemption back in the crosshairs?
- Reinstatement of advance refundings
- How much has this affected costs over the past year?
- Are these still a viable option with raising interest rates?
- Expansion of PABs
- Removal of state and federal cap
- What type of project expansions are wanted?
- BQ Bonds
- Examples of where this could be helpful
- Possible existing legislation
Afternoon Hill Day
BDA members will be split into groups of 2-3 to visit key contacts on Capitol Hill. These include sitting Members of House Ways and Means, House Financial Services, House T&I, Senate Finance, and Senate Commerce. Meetings will be organized, to the best extent possible, for BDA members who have relationships with the Members of Congress.
BDA PAC Fundraiser
BDA to host a fundraiser for a Member of Congress from the Municipal Finance Caucus. Member and requested amount TBD.
For more information, please contact Brett Bolton at bbolton@bdamerica.org or Justin Underwood at junderwood@bdamerica.org
