ARTBA for ARTBA

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. Urged opposition of Amendment 3485, attempting to expand the DBE program to include projects supported by Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) revenue in H.R. 636, the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2016

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

Bills named: H.R. 636 (114th)

Transportation TRA

ARTBA staff continued meeting with members of Congress to discuss myriad federal transportation issues, including the solvency of the Highway Trust Fund. ARTBA urged members of the House and Senate to fully fund the United States Army Corps of Engineers navigation program for FY 2017. ARTBA supported passage of H.R. 636, the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2016. ARTBA supported amendment 3562 to H.R. 636 creating an infrastructure financing authority. ARTBA urged Congress to increase the Private Activity Bond volume cap. ARTBA urged the Senate to pass S. 2848, the "Water Resources Development Act of 2016."

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

Bills named: H.R. 636 (114th), S. 2848 (114th)

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. ARTBA opposed H.Con.Res. 112, disapproving of a $10.25 per barrel oil tax. ARTBA urged Congress to address a shortfall to the Highway Trust Fund as a part of any comprehensive tax reform package.

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

Bills named: H.Con.Res. 112 (114th)

Budget/Appropriations BUD

ARTBA urged Appropriators to provide the full amount for federal transportation programs authorized in the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act. 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 would not unduly restrict competition. ARTBA supported language in S. 2844, the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill, requiring the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to conduct a study demonstrating the safety benefits of the restart provisions of the agency's "Hours of Service" regulations before those provisions can be enacted.

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

Bills named: S. 2844 (114th)

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

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

Government Issues GOV

ARTBA supported an amendment to H.R. 5485, the "Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2017" repealing prior approval requirements for trade association political action committees. ARTBA supported passage of H.R. 3438, the "Require Evaluation before Implementing Executive Wishlists" (REVIEW) Act of 2016. The legislation is aimed at ensuring new regulations will pass legal challenges before they are implemented.

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

Bills named: H.R. 3438 (114th), H.R. 5485 (114th)

Education EDU

ARTBA supported reauthorization of the Perkins Act, which provides funding for career and technical education programs. ARTBA supported passage of H.R. 5587, the "Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century" Act.

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

Bills named: H.R. 5587 (114th)

Labor Issues/Antitrust/Workplace LBR

ARTBA supported passage of S. 2693, the "EEOC Reform Act" requiring the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to gather more information before implementing newly proposed salary disclosure requirements. ARTBA additionally supported language identical to that of S. 2693 as an amendment to H.R. 2578, the "Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2017."

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

Bills named: S. 2693 (114th), H.R. 2578 (114th)

Clean Air and Water (quality) CAW

Urged opposition to expanding the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) jurisdictional authority under the Clean Water Act to include all U.S. water bodies. Urged Congressional opposition to the United States Environmental Protection Agency's proposal to tighten federal ozone standards under the Clean Air Act. Urged passage of H.R. 4775, the "Ozone Standards Improvement Act" of 2016, which would allow for more flexibility in meeting federal Clean Air Act standards.

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

Bills named: H.R. 4775 (114th)