ARTBA for ARTBA

Transportation TRA

Met March 20 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, particularly the expansion of the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act program.

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

Bills named: H.R. 4348 (113th)

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. Wrote January 4 letter to President Obama to same effect.

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

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

Bills named: H.R. 1 (113th)

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

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

Bills named: H.R. 2273 (113th), S. 1751 (113th), S. 3512 (113th)

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

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. Wrote, as part of the Waters Advocacy Coalition to the U.S. EPA & Army Corps of Engineers Feb. 12 urging the agencies to refrain from enacting guidance which could extend federal wetlands jurisdiction to cover roadside ditches.

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

Bills named: H.R. 4965 (113th), S. 2245 (113th)