ARTBA for ARTBA

Roads/Highway ROD

Supported provisions of H.R. 2847, the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act to credit the Highway Trust Fund with almost $20 billion in foregone interest revenue and transfer the costs of fuel tax exemptions currently provided to state and local governments from the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) to the General Fund, thereby increasing trust fund revenues by $1.5 billion per year. Also supported provisions to allow the HTF to retain interest earned on its balances and a tax incentive for capital purchases. Opposed efforts by some Members of Congress to block this legislation to extend authority of surface transportation programs which ultimately led to a furlough of Federal Highway Administration employees. Supported legislation to retroactively pay government employees at U.S. DOT who were affected by Congress' delay in passing extension of surface transportation law. Also supported inclusion of a repeal of a $8.7 billion rescission in contract authority enacted as part of the 2005 surface transportation law, SAFETEA-LU

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

Bills named: H.R. 2847 (111th)

Civil Rights/Civil Liberties CIV

Discussed the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program with Members of Congress. Provided examples of state program best practices that could be emulated on federal level.

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

Transportation TRA

Provided specific recommendations to members of Congress and the executive branch for the reauthorization of the federal highway and public transportation programs (Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009). Recommendations include increasing investment in both modes, creating a new federal freight program and reforming the environmental review and approval process for transportation projects. Supported efforts to pass emergency extensions of current surface transportation law. Supported efforts to pass emergency extensions of current surface transportation law (H.R. 3617), Testified before House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Supported efforts, included in extension proposal of the federal surface transportation programs, to repeal the $8.7 billion rescission of highway contract authority required by SAFETEA-LU. Opposed proposals that would've allowed the Highway Trust Fund's "budget firewalls" to lapse for a six-month period. Testified before Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on the positive effect of transportation infrastructure investment on long-term economic growth.

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

Bills named: H.R. 3617 (111th)

Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX

Supported efforts to repeal a requirement that all levels of government withhold three percent of payments to contractors for goods and services. Urged House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee to generate new revenues for the Highway Trust Fund and for the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, development of new freight based user fees, and eventual transition to a vehicle miles traveled user fee system to finance federal aid transportation infrastructure investments

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

Economics/Economic Development ECN

Supported continued implementation of H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Urged Secretary of Transportation to exercise his discretion under the bill to allocate funds to the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act credit program. Promoted job-creating benefits of infrastructure investments. Testified before House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on implementation of this act.

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

Bills named: H.R. 1 (111th)

Health Issues HCR

Expressed concern with provision of H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which would exclude many construction companies from the bill's small business exemption and threaten to increase the overall cost to the public for vital transportation infrastructure investments. Supported removal of this provision in President Obama's healthcare proposal and final passage of healthcare reform legislation.

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

Bills named: H.R. 3590 (111th)

Environment/Superfund ENV

Met with Congressional Staff to discuss provisions of H.R. 1329, the Clean, Low-Emission, Affordable, New Transportation Efficiency Act (CLEAN-TEA). Provided recommendations to Congress to ensure global climate change proposals protect transportation projects.

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

Bills named: H.R. 1329 (111th)

Aviation/Airlines/Airports AVI

Supported H.R. 915 and S. 1451, legislation to reauthorize the federal aviation programs. Lobbied for increased airport infrastructure investment through raising the passenger facility charge and increased funding for the Airport Improvement Program. Supported H.R. 3607 and H.R. 4217, temporary extensions of the federal aviation programs while also advocating for a multi-year reauthorization, preferably a four-year proposal approved by the House.

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

Bills named: H.R. 4217 (111th), S. 1451 (111th), H.R. 3607 (111th), H.R. 915 (111th)

Labor Issues/Antitrust/Workplace LBR

H.R. 3285. Urged members of Congress to clarify the definition of "asbestos" in proposed legislation seeking to ban all asbestos materials.

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

Bills named: H.R. 3285 (111th)

Clean Air and Water (quality) CAW

S. 787 The Clean Water Restoration Act (no House legislation introduced). Urged opposition to expanding the Army Corps of Engineers authority to regulate U.S. wetlands. Provided recommendations to Congress to ensure global climate change proposals protect transportation projects.

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

Bills named: S. 787 (111th)