NACo News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Association of Counties (NACo) will convene its annual Legislative Conference Feb. 12-16 in person and virtually.

Nearly 1,500 elected and appointed county officials from across the country will focus on pressing federal policy issues facing county governments. Attendees will hear from national experts, consider policy resolutions and meet with administration officials and members of Congress.

Highlights to include (all times Eastern Standard Time):

Featured General Session Speakers:

Monday, Feb. 14
9 -10:30 a.m.
Washington Hilton Hotel, International Ballroom (Concourse Level)

• U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
• U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas)
• Hon. Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Secretary of Transportation
• Hon. Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture

Tuesday, Feb. 15
9:30 – 11 a.m.
Washington Hilton Hotel, International Ballroom (Concourse Level)

• Hon. Michael S. Regan, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator
• Eugene Sperling, Senior Advisor to the President of the United States
• Mitch Landrieu, Senior Advisor to the President of the United States
• Jacob Leibenluft, Counselor to the Secretary, U.S. Department of the Treasury

Virtual Capitol Hill Summit:
Tuesday, Feb. 15
12:30 – 2:30 p.m.

• U.S. Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) 
• U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.)
• U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.)
• U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.)
• U.S. Rep. David Trone (D-Md.) 

Rural and Urban Caucus Meetings:
Sunday, Feb. 13
10 – 12 p.m.

• Hon. Xavier Becerra, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services
• Stephanie Pollack, Deputy Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation
• Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy

Other timely programming includes:

• Implementing Local Infrastructure Investments through the Intergovernmental Partnership (Monday, Feb. 14, 1:30 – 3 p.m., Washington Hilton Hotel, Columbia 5 & 7, Terrace Level) will explore how county officials can work with state and federal partners to successfully implement the bipartisan infrastructure package.
• Primer for County Leaders: Implementation of Treasury’s Final Rule for the Fiscal Recovery Fund (Monday, Feb. 14, 10:45 – 11:45 a.m., Washington Hilton Hotel, Columbia 5 &7, Terrace Level) will feature a preliminary overview of the Final Rule of the Recovery Fund and eligible uses of these critical dollars.
• County-Based Strategies to Advance Housing Access and Affordability (Monday, Feb. 14, 1:45 a.m. – 3 p.m., Washington Hilton Hotel, Columbia 11 & 12, Terrace Level) will offer strategies from county official’s approaches to addressing the housing affordability crisis.
• Workforce Development in a Post-COVID World: A Local Approach (Monday, Feb. 14, 3:15 – 4:30 p.m., Washington Hilton Hotel, Columbia 11 & 12, Terrace Level) will explore the importance of locally-driven workforce training programs as counties continue to economically recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
• How has COVID-19 Changed Counties Community & Economic Development Planning? (Tuesday, Feb. 15, 8 – 9:15 a.m., Washington Hilton Hotel, Columbia 5 & 7, Terrace Level) will feature strategies and frameworks from academic and local planning experts for counties to consider during long-term pandemic recovery planning.
• The Latest Funding Opportunities for Broadband Deployment and Infrastructure (Tuesday, Feb. 15, 8 – 9:15 a.m., Washington Hilton Hotel, Columbia 11 & 12, Terrace Level) will cover the latest funding opportunities for broadband deployment and infrastructure.
• Additional workshops will focus on expanding services for mental health, cyber tech, estate planning, environmental disaster resources, anti-hunger strategies, election trends, and leveraging ARPA funds.

The full NACo Legislative Conference schedule is available here.

Covering the Conference in Person:

Washington, D.C. issued a COVID vaccination mandate for all patrons entering indoor facilities, including conference venues. Per the D.C. requirement, all NACo Legislative Conference attendees must show proof of vaccination to enter meeting spaces, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, gyms and other facilities included in the order. Learn more at coronavirus.dc.gov/vaxdc.