THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF ENGINEERING COMPANIES for AMERICAN COUNCIL OF ENGINEERING COMPANIES

Financial Institutions/Investments/Securities FIN

Submmitted comments to Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) on revenue recognition from contracts, as well as leases; Submitted comments and met with with the SEC on implementation of the municipal advisor registration requirement in the Dodd-Frank financial services reform law; submitted comments to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board on the proposed fiduciary duty of municipal advisors.

Contacted: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Energy, Dept of; General Services Administration (GSA); AMTRAK - Natl Railroad Passenger Corporation; Federal Transit Administration (FTA); SENATE; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Treasury, Dept of; Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Commerce, Dept of (DOC); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Federal Highway Administration (FHA); State, Dept of (DOS); U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); Small Business Administration (SBA); Executive Office of the President (EOP); Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Education, Dept of; Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); Office of Management & Budget (OMB)

Roads/Highway ROD

S 1596, HR 2112, appropriations for transportation programs; S 1813/HR 7, SAFETEA LU reauthorization, issues related to funding surface transportation program and program structure, QBS procedures for procuring engineering services on federal projects; funding options to restore solvency to the Highway Trust Fund; HR 402, national infrastructure bank and provisions related to contracting and procurement for engineering services and funding for transportation projects;

Contacted: AMTRAK - Natl Railroad Passenger Corporation; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Education, Dept of; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Executive Office of the President (EOP); Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Commerce, Dept of (DOC); Federal Transit Administration (FTA); Treasury, Dept of; Federal Highway Administration (FHA); General Services Administration (GSA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Energy, Dept of; U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); SENATE; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Small Business Administration (SBA); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Defense, Dept of (DOD); State, Dept of (DOS)

Bills named: H.R. 402 (112th), H.R. 2112 (112th), H.R. 7 (112th)

Transportation TRA

HR 402, national infrastructure bank and provisions related to contracting for engineering services, funding for transportation projects; Highway Trust Fund solvency issues; HR 328, relating to the ability of states to contract out for engineering services; continued application of QBS procedures on federal-aid projects; S 1813/HR 7, surface transportation program reauthorization.

Contacted: General Services Administration (GSA); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); State, Dept of (DOS); Treasury, Dept of; Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); Energy, Dept of; SENATE; Federal Highway Administration (FHA); Federal Transit Administration (FTA); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); AMTRAK - Natl Railroad Passenger Corporation; Small Business Administration (SBA); Executive Office of the President (EOP); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); Commerce, Dept of (DOC); Education, Dept of

Bills named: H.R. 7 (112th), H.R. 402 (112th), H.R. 328 (112th)

Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX

Support passage of HR 674/S 89/S 164, to repeal Section 511 of PL 109-222 (3% withholding mandate); promote passage of legislation to preserve cash accounting option for engineering firms; Section 199 of the tax code; tax treatment of S Corps; tax rates for corporations and individuals; HR 942, to make the R&D tax credit permanent; funding options to restore solvency to the Highway Trust Fund; review of Administration's Green Book; impact of tax reform on pass-through entities; HR 1802/S 939, legislation to exclude water and sewer bonds from the state volume cap for private activity bonds; extension of bonus depreciation and small business expensing; infrastructure financing, including modifications to highway user fees; extension of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts; comments to Treasury Department on changes to the tax treatment of trial lawyer fees; promote extension of Production Tax Credit for renewable energy.

Contacted: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Education, Dept of; State, Dept of (DOS); AMTRAK - Natl Railroad Passenger Corporation; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); SENATE; U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); Energy, Dept of; Federal Transit Administration (FTA); Federal Highway Administration (FHA); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Commerce, Dept of (DOC); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Executive Office of the President (EOP); Defense, Dept of (DOD); General Services Administration (GSA); Treasury, Dept of; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); Small Business Administration (SBA); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Bills named: H.R. 1802 (112th), H.R. 674 (112th), H.R. 942 (112th)

Health Issues HCR

P.L. 111-148 (health care reform), provisions related to employer mandates, financing provisions, public plan option, medical malpractice liability reform, and association-based health insurance options; implementation of provisions related to the grandfathering of existing health plans; HR 1744, repeal of the employer mandates penalties.

Contacted: Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Energy, Dept of; Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Federal Transit Administration (FTA); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); AMTRAK - Natl Railroad Passenger Corporation; Small Business Administration (SBA); SENATE; Executive Office of the President (EOP); Treasury, Dept of; Education, Dept of; Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); General Services Administration (GSA); Commerce, Dept of (DOC); Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Federal Highway Administration (FHA); State, Dept of (DOS)

Bills named: H.R. 1744 (112th)

Energy/Nuclear ENG

Legislation to expand interstate transmission lines for high voltage electricity; support for Keystone XL pipeline.

Contacted: Defense, Dept of (DOD); Treasury, Dept of; Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); AMTRAK - Natl Railroad Passenger Corporation; Federal Transit Administration (FTA); Energy, Dept of; State, Dept of (DOS); Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); Education, Dept of; Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Executive Office of the President (EOP); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Federal Highway Administration (FHA); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Commerce, Dept of (DOC); General Services Administration (GSA); Small Business Administration (SBA); SENATE

Immigration IMM

Pending legislative proposals to expand the number of available H-1B visas each year, green cards and to exempt STEM graduate degree recipients from visa caps.

Contacted: Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Energy, Dept of; Federal Transit Administration (FTA); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); Treasury, Dept of; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); General Services Administration (GSA); Small Business Administration (SBA); Federal Highway Administration (FHA); Commerce, Dept of (DOC); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Education, Dept of; Executive Office of the President (EOP); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); SENATE; State, Dept of (DOS); Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); Defense, Dept of (DOD); AMTRAK - Natl Railroad Passenger Corporation; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

Foreign Relations FOR

Use of US engineering firms in aid programs administered by US AID and the Millennium Challenge Corportation; raising the importance of infrastructure investment in US foreign aid programs, more emphasis on cross planning in implementing aid programs, use of qualified design professionals and use of US engineering firms; oversight of multilateral development banks and projects using US funds.

Contacted: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); Small Business Administration (SBA); Education, Dept of; Executive Office of the President (EOP); Energy, Dept of; Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Treasury, Dept of; SENATE; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Commerce, Dept of (DOC); General Services Administration (GSA); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Federal Transit Administration (FTA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); AMTRAK - Natl Railroad Passenger Corporation; Federal Highway Administration (FHA); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); State, Dept of (DOS)

Budget/Appropriations BUD

HConRes 34 (FY'12 budget) and S 365, provisions related to infrastructure funding; encouraging the use of US firms for infrastructure design and construction activities funded by US taxpayers in developing countries; provisions related to funding for DOE Environmental Management program; S 1596 and HR 2112, FY'12 THUD appropriations bill, provisions related to highway and transit funding; HR 2055, report language to encourage contracting out by the Corps of Engineers.

Contacted: Energy, Dept of; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); SENATE; Defense, Dept of (DOD); State, Dept of (DOS); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Treasury, Dept of; Federal Transit Administration (FTA); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); AMTRAK - Natl Railroad Passenger Corporation; Education, Dept of; Small Business Administration (SBA); Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); Commerce, Dept of (DOC); Federal Highway Administration (FHA); General Services Administration (GSA); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Executive Office of the President (EOP); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

Bills named: H.Con.Res. 34 (112th), H.R. 2055 (112th), H.R. 2112 (112th)

Aviation/Airlines/Airports AVI

S. 223/HR 658, including reathorization and expansion of Airport Improvement Program and Passenger Facility Charge program, provisions to require the use of Qualifications-Based Selection to procure engineering services on PFC-funded projects;

Contacted: Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Commerce, Dept of (DOC); Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Federal Highway Administration (FHA); General Services Administration (GSA); U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); Small Business Administration (SBA); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Education, Dept of; SENATE; Executive Office of the President (EOP); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Federal Transit Administration (FTA); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Energy, Dept of; Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Treasury, Dept of; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; State, Dept of (DOS); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); AMTRAK - Natl Railroad Passenger Corporation; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

Bills named: H.R. 658 (112th), S. 223 (112th)

Government Issues GOV

Issues related to the audit on engineering firm overhead performed by the Office of the Inspector General at USDOT; issues related to the stewardship and oversight of engineering services and contracting in the federal highway program; federal procurement issues, including the Administration's "High Roads" initiative and definitions of inherently governmental and critical functions; Defense Authorization Act, contracting changes; small business set asides/contracting; HR 1309, provisions related to the Thomas Amdt; contractor reporting requirements; use of GSA schedules by State Department and local, tribal governments; small business size standards; identification of regulatroy barriers/hurdles to economic growth; issues related to agnecy performance of infrastructure work without engineering oversight/involvement; limiting "in-sourcing" by federal agencies and competition for third party work.

Contacted: State, Dept of (DOS); Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); SENATE; Federal Highway Administration (FHA); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Executive Office of the President (EOP); Treasury, Dept of; Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); Small Business Administration (SBA); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Energy, Dept of; Education, Dept of; U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); Commerce, Dept of (DOC); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); AMTRAK - Natl Railroad Passenger Corporation; Federal Transit Administration (FTA); General Services Administration (GSA); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS)

Bills named: H.R. 1309 (112th)

Education EDU

Fundng for student loan forgiveness program authorized in P.L. 110-315 for people employed in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) professions; comments to the Department of Education during rulemaking process to implement loan forgiveness program authorized under P.L. 110-315; S 1597, education facility and repair.

Contacted: SENATE; Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Education, Dept of; Commerce, Dept of (DOC); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Small Business Administration (SBA); AMTRAK - Natl Railroad Passenger Corporation; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Federal Transit Administration (FTA); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); General Services Administration (GSA); Executive Office of the President (EOP); Energy, Dept of; Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); State, Dept of (DOS); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Treasury, Dept of; Federal Highway Administration (FHA)

Torts TOR

HR 1145, to provide "good samaritan" liability relief for architect and engineering firms responding in a voluntary capacity to natural disasters; liability protection for engineering firms engaged in levee certifications; addressing the increased costs of infrastructure due to liability issues and the need for protection in high consequence events;

Contacted: General Services Administration (GSA); Education, Dept of; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); SENATE; Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); State, Dept of (DOS); Small Business Administration (SBA); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); AMTRAK - Natl Railroad Passenger Corporation; Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); Energy, Dept of; Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Commerce, Dept of (DOC); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Treasury, Dept of; Federal Highway Administration (FHA); Federal Transit Administration (FTA); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Executive Office of the President (EOP); Defense, Dept of (DOD)

Bills named: H.R. 1145 (112th)

Clean Air and Water (quality) CAW

Legislation to reauthorize and expand the Clean Water and Safe Drinking Water SRF programs, provisions to apply QBS to SRF-funded projects; national infrastructure banks and provisions related to contracting for engineering/design services and funding for water infrastructure projects; Legislation establishing a water trust fund program; legislation lifting volume caps on private activity bonds for water projects; Water Resources Development Act, including funding, contracting out, and levee liability; EPA reg reform.

Contacted: Small Business Administration (SBA); Education, Dept of; Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); AMTRAK - Natl Railroad Passenger Corporation; Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); Executive Office of the President (EOP); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); State, Dept of (DOS); SENATE; Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); Defense, Dept of (DOD); General Services Administration (GSA); Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Treasury, Dept of; Commerce, Dept of (DOC); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Energy, Dept of; Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Federal Highway Administration (FHA); Federal Transit Administration (FTA)