County Countdown – Feb. 6, 2024

Welcome to NACo's County Countdown, where we spotlight essential federal policy issues for counties.  

We are gearing up for the 2024 Legislative Conference this week in Washington, D.C., so consider this your quick peek behind the scenes at some of the key issues that will be covered at this year's conference.

Watch the video above and explore NACo resources below.

1. Capitol Hill Advocacy

NACo Legislative Conference participants will advocate on Capitol Hill for critical reforms and county priorities:

• Medicaid: Supporting reforms advanced through the Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs and Extenders Act (Senate) and the Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act (House). For more information on proposed reforms, check out these resources on why Medicaid and other reforms are important for counties.
• High-speed internet: Advocating for the extension of the Affordable Connectivity Program to sustain community connectivity and enable counties to leverage Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program investments.
• Public lands: Urging Congress to fully fund the Payments in Lieu of Taxes program and reauthorize Secure Rural Schools.
• If you are not able to attend the conference, we still encourage you to advocate for these priorities by contacting your members of the U.S. House and Senate. For a deeper dive, check out our 2024 Federal Policy Priorities.

2. Spotlight on Policy Summits

The federal policy summits included in the Legislative Conference agenda are a great indicator of pressing issue areas counties and our federal partners are interested in discussing right now. This year’s summits focus on:

• Artificial intelligence (AI): How AI can transform county services, the economy and overall landscape of county operations.
• Disaster preparedness: Insurance and strategies for future-proofing county properties against disasters.
• Election administration: How our counties maintain safe and accurate elections amid evolving challenges.
• Learn more about the policy summits here, or explore more on these topics in our Advocacy Hub.

3. Conference Highlights

We look forward to seeing nearly 2,000 county leaders at the conference, and sharing highlights and outcomes with our full membership in the days that follow.

• Program highlights: For those in attendance, policy steering committee meetings and the Federal Agency Expo promise rich discussions and intergovernmental relationship-building.
• Stay tuned: Watch your inboxes, keep an eye out for County News, follow NACo on social media and visit NACo.org for conference recaps and resources.