ARTBA for ARTBA

Government Issues GOV

ARTBA urged support for S. 280, the "Federal Permitting Improvement Act." The measure is aimed at reforming the federal permitting process for construction projects.

Contacted: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; President of the U.S.; Small Business Administration (SBA); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); SENATE; Office of Management & Budget (OMB)

Bills named: S. 280 (114th)

Civil Rights/Civil Liberties CIV

ARTBA staff and members met with senior officials at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to discuss implementation of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program. The group discussed several larger DBE program issues including the legal and regulatory limitations on prime contractors' abilities to help grow DBE capacity as well as the disparity between the pool of certified DBE firms and those actually able to participate as subcontractors on federal-aid highway projects. ARTBA staff and members also met with DOT officials to discuss DOT's recently proposed pilot program regarding geographic-based hiring on federal transportation construction projects.

Contacted: Office of Management & Budget (OMB); President of the U.S.; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); SENATE; Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Small Business Administration (SBA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Transportation TRA

ARTBA staff continued meeting with members of Congress to discuss Myriad federal transportation issues, including the reauthorization of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act within the term of the current Congress and the solvency of the Highway Trust Fund ARTBA urged members of the House and Senate to fully fund the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014.

Contacted: SENATE; Small Business Administration (SBA); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); President of the U.S.; Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX

ARTBA staff have met with congressional offices to urge inclusion of a long-term Highway Trust Fund revenue solution in any tax reform or deficit reduction package or a stand-alone measure.

Contacted: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); SENATE; Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Small Business Administration (SBA); President of the U.S.; Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Budget/Appropriations BUD

ARTBA urged Appropriators to provide the full amount for federal transportation programs authorized in the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act. ARTBA urged Appropriators to support Section 132 of the 2016 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill. This language would enact ARTBA-supported modifications to federal Hours of Service (HOS) rules for drivers. ARTBA urged Senate Appropriators to fully fund the President's 2016 budget request for the "Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery" (TIGER) program. ARTBA supported language in the House and Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bills which would have ensured a DOT pilot program aimed at local hiring did not unduly restrict competition.

Contacted: Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); President of the U.S.; Small Business Administration (SBA); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE

Environment/Superfund ENV

Urged United States Environmental Protection Agency officials not to regulate coal ash as a "hazardous" waste, which could make concrete more costly and less durable, thus increasing costs and the environmental impact of vital transportation improvement projects.

Contacted: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); President of the U.S.; Small Business Administration (SBA); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE; Office of Management & Budget (OMB)

Chemicals/Chemical Industry CHM

ARTBA urges support for S. 697, the "Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act" and H.R. 2576, the "TSCA Modernization Act of 2015." Both measures would make significant reforms to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) regarding the regulation and registration of chemical substances used in commerce.

Contacted: President of the U.S.; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Small Business Administration (SBA); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); SENATE; Transportation, Dept of (DOT)

Bills named: H.R. 2576 (114th), S. 697 (114th)

Aviation/Airlines/Airports AVI

ARTBA staff advocated to House and Senate offices for reauthorization of federal aviation programs, an increase in airport infrastructure investment, and an increase in the Passenger Facility Charge.

Contacted: Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); SENATE; Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Small Business Administration (SBA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; President of the U.S.; Transportation, Dept of (DOT)

Torts TOR

ARTBA urged support for H.R. 1927, the "Fairness in Class Action Litigation Act of 2015." The legislation would curb overbroad class-action litigation and require class members to show actual harm prior to litigating.

Contacted: Small Business Administration (SBA); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); President of the U.S.; Transportation, Dept of (DOT); SENATE; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Bills named: H.R. 1927 (114th)

Clean Air and Water (quality) CAW

Urged opposition to expanding the United States Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers jurisdictional authority under the Clean Water Act. ARTBA urged support for H.R. 1732, the "Regulatory Integrity Protection Act" and S. 1140, the "Federal Water Quality Protection Act." Both measures would require EPA and the Corps to withdraw their "Waters of the United States" regulation.

Contacted: SENATE; Small Business Administration (SBA); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); President of the U.S.

Bills named: H.R. 1732 (114th), S. 1140 (114th)