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

Labor Issues/Antitrust/Workplace LBR

HR 2346 and HR 2347, pertaining to the imposition of "card check" and micro-union rules before the NLRB.

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

Bills named: H.R. 2347 (113th), H.R. 2346 (113th)

Financial Institutions/Investments/Securities FIN

Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) rules on revenue recognition from contracts, as well as leases; Pending SEC rules on implementation of the municipal advisor registration requirement in the Dodd-Frank financial services reform law; Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, pending rules on the proposed fiduciary duty of municipal advisors;

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

Roads/Highway ROD

Highway program funding; implementation of changes to surface transportation program and program structure in MAP-21; QBS procedures for procuring engineering services on federal projects; funding options to restore solvency to the Highway Trust Fund; HR 2610/S 1243, FY'14 appropriations bill, funding for transportation, and HR 152, emergency disaster relief, including funding for transportation reconstruction; HR 2084, infrastructure financing authority; S 1250, new bonding authority for states (TRIP Bonds).

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

Bills named: H.R. 2084 (113th), H.R. 152 (113th), H.R. 2610 (113th)

Transportation TRA

HConRes 25/SConRes, provisions related to infrastructure funding; HR 1243/S 2610, funding for transportation programs; HR 152, funding for transportation rebuilding projects; Highway Trust Fund solvency issues; continued application of QBS procedures on federal-aid projects; surface transportation program implementation under MAP-21; comments on FHWA NPRM on consultant services;HR 2084, related to the repatriation of overseas earnings into an infrastructure finance fund; S 1250, authorizing additional bonding authority and tax credits for state transportation projects.

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

Bills named: H.R. 1243 (113th), H.R. 152 (113th), H.R. 2084 (113th), H.Con.Res. 25 (113th)

Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX

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; legislation 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; legislation related to the use of private activity bonds for water projects; SConRes 8, tax treatment of municipal bonds;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; HR 8 (fiscal cliff legislation), Section 179D (energy efficient buildings); legislation to promote employee stock option plans (ESOPs); HR 2084, related to the repatriation of overseas earnings into an infrastructure finance fund; S 1250, authorizing additional bonding authority and tax credits for state transportation projects.

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

Bills named: H.R. 2084 (113th), H.R. 8 (113th), S.Con.Res. 8 (113th)

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 903/S 399, repeal of the employer mandates penalties; HR 763/S 603, repeal of health insurance tax; HR 2667, one-year delay of employer mandate.

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

Bills named: H.R. 903 (113th), H.R. 763 (113th), H.R. 2667 (113th)

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; Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act, related to infrastructure project oversight; HR 1793.

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

Bills named: H.R. 1793 (113th)

Budget/Appropriations BUD

HConRes 25 (FY'14 budget) and SConRes 8, 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; HR 2610/S 1243, provisions related to transportation funding, USACE; HR 152, emergency disaster relief, including funding for infrastructure rebuilding and resiliency; reform of entitlement programs.

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

Bills named: H.Con.Res. 25 (113th), S.Con.Res. 8 (113th), H.R. 152 (113th), H.R. 2610 (113th)

Aviation/Airlines/Airports AVI

HR 2610/S 1243, FY'14 appropriations, provisions related to Airport Improvement Program funding.

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

Bills named: H.R. 2610 (113th)

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 oversight of engineering services and contracting in the federal highway program, including FHWA rulemaking on consultant services and FHWA "safe harbor" pilot program for indirect cost rate; federal procurement issues, including definitions of inherently governmental and critical functions; Defense Authorization Act, contracting changes; small business set asides/contracting;HR 746, small business compliance issues; small business size standards related to engineering services; issues related to agency performance of infrastructure work without engineering oversight/involvement; limiting "in-sourcing" by federal agencies and competition for third party work; FY'14 Defense Authorization, issues related to small business programs, A-76 process and employee compensation; HR 2232, provisions related to small business subcontracting; HR 1942, procurement reforms; HR 436/S 109, related to removing prject labor agreements from federal projects;

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

Bills named: H.R. 746 (113th), H.R. 1942 (113th), H.R. 436 (113th), H.R. 2232 (113th)

Energy/Nuclear ENG

Support for legislation to approve the Keystone XL pipeline; support for legislation to extend the production and investment tax credits for renewable energy projects; reuse of DOW facilities and infrastructure; S 761/HR 1616, provisions related to energy modeling and codes consolidation.

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

Bills named: H.R. 1616 (113th)

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, including S 169; S 744, immigration reform; HR 2131, the SKILLS Visa Act.

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

Bills named: H.R. 2131 (113th)

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 1084, provisions related to consolidating available assistance mechanisms.

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

Torts TOR

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; draft legislation to provide liability protections to emergency responders.

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

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, Buy American; legislation lifting volume caps on private activity bonds for water projects; S. 601, Water Resources Development Act, including contracting out, levee liability and WIFIA pilot program; Hydro fracturing processes related to natural gas; infrastructure resiliency in extreme weather events.

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

Bills named: S. 601 (113th)