ARTBA for ARTBA

Transportation TRA

Met November 30 with officials from U.S. Department of Transportation to discuss the implementation of H.R. 4348, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act. Major topics covered were the new law's freight, performance process, and environmental streamlining process.

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

Bills named: H.R. 4348 (112th)

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 in 2013.

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

Economics/Economic Development ECN

Supported continued implementation of H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. Promoted job-creating benefits of infrastructure investments. Provided Congressional offices and members of the Administration with updates on ARRA project progress.

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

Bills named: H.R. 1 (112th)

Foreign Relations FOR

ARTBA, along with 16 other trade associations, urged President Obama and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton December 13 to approve the permit application for the construction of a new international trade crossing between Detroit, Mich., and Windsor, Ontario.

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

Budget/Appropriations BUD

Urged appropriators to provide the full amount for federal transportation programs authorized in the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act.

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

Environment/Superfund ENV

Urged U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 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. Supported H.R. 2273, the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act and S. 1751, the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act, and S. 3512, the "Coal Ash Recycling and Oversight Act."

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

Bills named: S. 1751 (112th), S. 3512 (112th), H.R. 2273 (112th)

Labor Issues/Antitrust/Workplace LBR

Urged members of Congress to clarify the definition of "asbestos" in proposed legislation seeking to ban all asbestos materials.

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

Clean Air and Water (quality) CAW

Urged opposition to expanding the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers' Clean Water Act authority to regulate U.S. wetlands. Supported S. 2245, the "Preserve the Waters of the United States Act," and similarly named H.R. 4965 in the House.

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

Bills named: H.R. 4965 (112th), S. 2245 (112th)