Letters and Testimony

NCSL is nationally recognized as a formidable lobbying force in Washington, D.C. Year-in and year-out, the organization effectively works to enhance the role of states and state legislatures in the federal system. These state-federal activities, which include letters to Congress and the administration and testimony before congressional committees or federal commissions, are guided by policy directives and resolutions developed NCSL's eight standing committees.

Recent Letters and Testimony

NCSL Letter to Rep.Kevin Brady, Rep. Jim McDermott, and Rep. Marsha Blackburn regarding Legislation to make permanent the deduction of state and local general sales tax (H.R. 622). (March 23, 2015)
NCSL Letter to House leaders supporting the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015 (PRRIA) (March 3, 2015)
NCSL Letter to Legislative Leaders urging reauthorization of a long-term extension of the United States Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank and attachment. (February 23, 2015)
State and Local Fiscal Facts: 2015. Fiscal conditions of State and Local Governments (February 20, 2015)
NCSL Joint Letter to Speaker Boehner and Minority Leader Pelosi regarding Immigration Enforcement Legislation. (February 10, 2015)
NCSL Letter to Senator John Cornyn to express strong support of S. 178, the “Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act”. (February 9, 2015)
Letter to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Re: Airport Funding and Financing Provisions in the FAA Reauthorization. (February 5, 2015)
NCSL Comment on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) governing teacher preparation institutions. (February 3, 2015)
NCSL Letter regarding the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act (S. 189/H.R. 50). (February 2, 2015)
NCSL Statement for the Record Re: Senate EPW Committee Hearing on MAP-21 Reauthorization. (January 28, 2015)
NCSL Letter to House Speaker John Boehner regarding the consideration of legislation to collect state sales tax on remote transactions. (January 26, 2015)
Comments on the “Roadmap for Improving E911 Location Accuracy”. In a December 15^th letter to Secretary, Federal Communications Commission NCSL recommends that the Commission consider the Roadmap as it drafts final location accuracy rules. (December 15, 2014)
NCSL letter to chairman and ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee expressing strong support for the Klobuchar/Cornyn anti-human trafficking package, which includes the, “Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act” (S. 2599) and an amended version of the, “Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act” (S. 1738). (November 24, 2014)
NCSL Letter to Speaker John Boehner to express disappointment with the announcement by your office that the Marketplace Fairness Act (MFA) will not move forward this year in the House of Representatives. (November 17, 2014)
Comments to the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) regarding its proposed rule for Carbon Pollution Emission Guidelines for Existing Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units (October 16, 2014)
NCSL, NGA, CSG, NACO, NLC, USMAYORS, ICMA and GFOA submitted a joint letter to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “Agencies”) regarding a final rule addressing the Liquidity Coverage Ratio (the “LCR Rule”), OCC Docket ID OCC–2013–0016. (October 16, 2014)
Letter to Senator John Cornyn in support for amendment clarifying the penalties for non-compliance in the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). This amendment was ultimately picked up by Chairman Leahy making it a Leahy/Cornyn amendment and passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, by a vote of 13-5. (September 16, 2014)
Letter on Department of Defense Matching Funds – Federal Conservation Efforts (NOTE: similar copies were sent to USDA, DoD, Interior, and both House and Senate Armed Services Committees) (September 3, 2014)
NCSL, NGA and CSG submitted a joint letter to Federal Communications Commission expressing opposition to petitions from Chattanooga, Tennessee and Wilson, North Carolina requesting preemption of state laws regulating the deployment of certain broadband networks. (August 29, 2104)
NCSL submitted a letter to Federal Communications Commission outlining a legal argument to decline the petitions from Chattanooga, Tennessee and Wilson, North Carolina requesting preemption of state laws regulating the deployment of certain broadband networks. (August 28, 2014)
Letter to Chairman, Federal Communications Commission Opposing FCC Preemption of State Laws (July 22, 2014)
Letter to Ms. Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC in response to the Federal Communications Commission Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking public comment on how best to protect and promote an open Internet (July 17, 2014)
Letter to U.S. House and Senate Leaders Urging Current Funding Levels for the Army National Guard (ARNG) in the FY 2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) be maintained. Attachment incuded NCSL Executive Committee Emergency Resolution-Preserve the Army National Guard (July 15, 2014)
Letter to Senator Amy Klobuchar expressing Support of S. 1733, the “Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act of 2014” (July 9, 2014)
State and Local Groups’ Letter to Congress on Funding and Financing Surface Transportation and the Highway Trust Fund (July 7, 2014)
Letter to U.S. House and Senate Leaders Urging the Reauthorization and Funding of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (June 16, 2014)
NCSL Joint Letter to Commissioner Gallagher Remarks Before the Municipal Security Rulemaking Board (June 16, 2014)
Letter to Chairman, Federal Communications Commission regarding Sports Blackout Rule (June 10, 2014)
Letter to U.S. House and Senate Leaders Expressing Support of the Long-Term Extension of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (June 6, 2014)
Letter to U.S. House and Senate Leaders Urging Passage of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (June 6, 2014)
Letter to Senate and House Conference Committee in Support of Provisions in the Water Resoruces Reform and Development Act (WRDDA) (May 22, 2014)
Letter to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee Opposing the New Draft of Chemicals in Commerce Act (May 19, 2014)
NCSL Letter to Representative Bob Goodlatte, Chairman, U.S. Judiciary Committee regarding "origin sourcing” or “hybrid origin sourcing". (April 29, 2014)
NCSL Testimony regarding Chemicals in Commerce Act-Discussion Draft (April 29, 2014)
NCSL Letter to U.S. Representative Ted Poe regarding H.R. 3530 “Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act” (March 28)
NCSL Letter to Senator John Cornyn on S. 1738 “Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act” (March 12, 2014)
NCSL Testimony on “Exploring Alternative Solutions on the Internet Sales Tax Issue” (March 12, 2014)
NCSL Letter to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on the Chemicals in Commerce Act (March 10, 2014)
NCSL Letter to House and Senate WRDA Conferees on Water Infrastructure Financing (Feb. 26, 2014)
NCSL Letter to House Leaders on the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act (H.R. 899) (Feb. 27, 2014)
NCSL Letter to House and Senate Budget Committees on FY2014 Budget (Dec. 2, 2013)
NCSL Letter to House and Senate Agriculture Committees on the 2013 Farm Bill Reauthorization (Nov. 12, 2013)
Letter to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in support of a dedicated source of federal funding for passenger rail services (Oct. 29, 2013)
NCSL comments on proposed 2014 ONDCP National Drug Control Strategy (Oct. 8, 2013)
State and local officials urge Senate action on ESEA reauthorization (Sept. 12, 2013)
Letter to the House Agriculture Committee opposing the "King Amendment" (Aug. 5, 2013)
NCSL testifies before Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee (July 31, 2013)
NCSL letter opposing preemptive House immigration legislation (June 25, 2013)
Letter on the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) (June 12, 2013)
NCSL comments on Human Trafficking Victim Services Plan (May 24, 2013)

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Questions

If you have questions regarding letters and testimony, please contact Molly Ramsdell.