May 30, 2011
NATION’S CITIES WEEKLY 3
Senate Leaders Announce Vision for Transportation Legislation
by Leslie Wollack
Late last week, Senate trans-
portation leaders offered their
vision for a new six-year surface
transportation program.
NLC Urges Congress to Support Public Safety Communications
by Mitchel Herckis
Last week, NLC joined with the
National Governors Association,
the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the
Council of State Governments, the
National Association of Counties, the
International City/County Management
Association and the National Conference
of State Legislatures to host a briefing
for congressional staff on the need to
reallocate spectrum to public safety in
order to build a nationwide public safety
communications network. Legislation is
currently pending in both the House
and the Senate (H.R. 607 and S. 28)
that would accomplish this goal.
The two bills, both of which NLC
supports, would ensure that America’s
first responders are able to access a
broadband network capable of provid-
ing reliable high speed data transmis-
sions.
This would be done by reallocating
a segment of radio spectrum known as
the 700 MHz D-Block to public safety.
By doing so, the legislation provides
sufficient spectrum across the nation
to build an interoperable communica-
tions network that would allow real-
time information sharing between first
responders.
It would also ensure a revenue stream
for the construction and initial develop-
ment of the network, so small commu-
nities in rural areas would not be left
behind.
Challenge Grants to Bolster State Early Learning Systems
by Krista D’Amelio
Last week, the U.S. Departments
of Education and Health and Human
Services announced the dedication of
$500 million in Race to the Top fund-
ing to support comprehensive state plans
for raising the quality of early learning
programs, a step that could open new
opportunities for cities working in this
important area.
Opportunity for Cities
In recent years, municipal officials
have taken an increasingly active role
in strengthening early care and educa-
tion programs in their communities.
Cities are connecting first-time parents
to information and community resourc-
es, promoting early literacy through
Mayor’s Book Clubs, advancing family-
friendly workplace policies and offering
training to family, friend and neighbor
caregivers.
Local efforts have been motivated by
research that highlights the importance
of early learning to future academic and
career success and traces the academic
achievement gap to early childhood.
“For kids, high-quality early learning
programs mean they will enter school
better prepared with a greater chance of
finishing high school and college,” said
Vice President Joe Biden.
The Race to the Top Early Learning
Challenge presents cities with an oppor-
tunity to enhance local efforts by part-
nering with state agencies and early
childhood advisory councils on chal-
lenge grant applications. Municipal
leaders serve on many of these councils
and may be well positioned to highlight
innovative local models that are ripe for
statewide replication.
Details:
More information will be
made available at www2.ed.gov/pro
grams/racetothetop-earlylearningchal
lenge/ index.html. To learn more about
local early childhood success strategies,
visit www.nlc.org/iyef or contact Tonja
Rucker at (202) 626-3004 or rucker@
nlc.org.
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