SUPPORT FOR THE NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE BANK (NIB)
WHEREAS, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) supports an equitable transportation system that provides access to all citizens and communities, and does not place an undo financial burden on our citizens;
WHEREAS, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) stated in its 2021 report card that the United States received a grade of C- regarding the current state of infrastructure and that more than six trillion dollars would be needed to restore the nation’s infrastructure to a state of good repair, and over two and a half trillion dollars is currently not funded, and the remainder is inadequately funded;
WHEREAS, Congress introduced HR 3339, The National Infrastructure Bank Act, to create a new National Infrastructure Bank (NIB), it will be capitalized by repurposing existing Treasury debt and require no new federal appropriations, and will invest five trillion dollars into infrastructure only and create twenty-five million new high-paying jobs;
WHEREAS, the NIB will pay Davis-Bacon wages, and guarantee Buy American policies, and economists estimate that the bank will grow the economy by 5 percent per year as did its predecessors;
WHEREAS, the NIB legislation requires massive investment in communities which are disadvantaged;
WHEREAS, the NIB incorporates the Rep. James Clyburn 10-20-30 formula to eradicate poverty and inequality: the NIB would commit 10 percent of its investment into the 476 counties where 20 percent or more of the population has been living below the poverty line for the last 30 years;
WHEREAS, minority businesses will have substantial access to capital and credit, and hiring of all minority populations is a mandate in the bill;
WHEREAS, the NIB will also provide job training to all sections of the population as the bill will create millions of new jobs; the NIB also budgets $700 billion to build 7 million new affordable housing units, to end the housing crisis; the economic stimulus of the NIB will break the culture of drugs, suicide and despair which has engulfed much of our nation;
WHEREAS, the NIB is modeled on previous banks which helped build much of our infrastructure under Presidents George Washington, James Madison, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the last such bank helped bring us out of the Depression and win WWII;
WHEREAS, twenty-one state legislatures filed or passed resolutions, including New Jersey, Rhode Island, Maine, Illinois, Ohio, Nevada, New Mexico, South Carolina, Alabama, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania and more. Many city and county Councils who passed or introduced resolutions include: Chicago, Philadelphia, Trenton, Toledo, Cleveland, New York City, Providence RI, Pittsburgh, Westchester County Board of Legislators, Mercer County NJ Board of Freeholders, Rio Arriba NM County Council, Northampton and Allegheny Pa County Councils, and more; and
WHEREAS, numerous organizations are also supportive including the National Congress of Black Women, the National Association of Counties, the National Latino Farmers and Ranchers, the National Federation of Federal Employees (IAMAW), The National Association of Minority Contractors, the Public Banking Institute, The US High Speed Rail Association, American Sustainable Business Council, and numerous other labor and community organizations are also on record in support.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) calls upon the United States Congress to create a National Infrastructure Bank, like HR 3339, to finance urgently needed infrastructure projects;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL calls upon Congress when passing such legislation as a transportation reauthorization bill to include Rep. James Clyburn 10-20-30 formula to eradicate poverty and inequality, increased access to capital for minority businesses, and increased hiring of minorities; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, members of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and other federal and state government officials and agencies as appropriate.
- SPONSOR(S): Senator Audrey Gibson (FL) and Representative K.C. Ohaebosim (KS)
- Committee of Jurisdiction: Telecommunications, Science, and Technology (TST) Policy Committee
- Ratified in Plenary Session: December 2, 2021
- Ratification certified by: Representative Billy Mitchell (GA), NBCSL President
BEYOND VISUAL LINE OF SIGHT (BVLOS) FOR DRONE OPERATIONS
WHEREAS, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) maintains that natural disasters affect human lives and living conditions and often have a more direct and adverse impact on low-income and communities of color;
WHEREAS, state officials have a significant role to play in ensuring natural disaster risk reduction, including the areas of science and technology;
WHEREAS, utilities are responsible for inspecting, protecting, and maintaining the critical infrastructure for the provision of electric, gas, water, and telecommunications;
WHEREAS, investments in infrastructure are making America technologically innovative for the purpose of creating a better quality of life for citizens, providing for the health, safety, and welfare of all our communities; and particularly, fixed income, low-income, under-served and communities of color;
WHEREAS, utilities invest significant resources in protecting the nation’s public and private infrastructure through ground and aerial inspections, including the use of drones, or unmanned aerial systems (“UAS”);
WHEREAS, UAS can provide improved safety inspections necessary to promote public safety;
WHEREAS, UAS can provide operational benefits to utilities and their customers, including but not limited to improved safety for utility workers, other personnel, contractors, and customers resulting from the ability of UAS to reach remote areas and be deployed in poor weather conditions, as well as during and after storms when ground crews may have limited mobility;
WHEREAS, most utilities using UAS are limited to line-of-sight operations, in which the UAS pilot must be able to see the aircraft without additional visual aids;
WHEREAS, using UAS for outdoor visual line-of-sight operations or specifically authorized BVLOS operations would greatly improve operational efficiency, reduce safety hazards for utility employees and contractors, and ultimately lower costs to customers;
WHEREAS, companies seeking permission to fly UAS BVLOS currently must submit a waiver application to the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”);
WHEREAS, the FAA has jurisdiction and, as of late 2019, has received more than 1,200 BVLOS waiver applications and has denied approval for an overwhelming majority of waiver applicants;
WHEREAS, electric utilities (through representatives of the Edison Electric Institute) and the FAA have begun exploring a pathway to a framework for BVLOS activities that would increase transparency of what is needed for a waiver application without sacrificing the FAA’s safety responsibilities and this collaboration should allow owners of linear infrastructure to prepare applications that have a greater likelihood for approval of BVLOS waivers;
WHEREAS, many utilities and state regulatory authorities have expertise with manned and unmanned aerial systems, demonstrating that these entities’ use of BVLOS flights can be done while protecting the safety and security of FAA air space;
WHEREAS, the FAA has initiated an important Aviation Rulemaking Committee (“ARC”), to develop a regulatory framework for BVLOS operation, within the next 2-3 years, that will facilitate greater future use of BVLOS UAS operations by utilities; and
WHEREAS there is an immediate need for BVLOS waiver to be approved during the pendency of the ARC’s work.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) encourages the FAA to use its authority to examines the use of BVLOS waivers during this critical interim period before there are final rules in place that facilitate safe BVLOS operations by utilities;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL encourages utility and utility regulators knowledge sharing and development of industry best practices concerning BVLOS activities, including support for the development of a common utility BVLOS waiver; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, members of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and other federal and state government officials and agencies as appropriate.
- SPONSOR(S): Representative Barbara Ballard (KS) and Representative Karen Camper (TN)
- Committee of Jurisdiction: Telecommunications, Science, and Technology (TST) Policy Committee
- Ratified in Plenary Session: December 2, 2021
- Ratification certified by: Representative Billy Mitchell (GA), NBCSL President