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

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 933, CR and omnibus appropriations bill, funding for transportation, and HR 152, emergency disaster relief, including funding for transportation reconstruction.

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

Bills named: H.R. 152 (113th), H.R. 933 (113th)

Transportation TRA

HConRes 25/SConRes, provisions related to infrastructure funding; HR 933, 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.

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

Bills named: H.R. 152 (113th), H.Con.Res. 25 (113th), H.R. 933 (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).

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

Bills named: 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.

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

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

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

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 933, provisions related to highway and transit funding, USACE; HR 152, emergency disaster relief, including funding for infrastructure rebuilding and resiliency; reform of entitlement programs.

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

Bills named: H.R. 933 (113th), H.R. 152 (113th), H.Con.Res. 25 (113th), S.Con.Res. 8 (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: Education, Dept of; Defense, Dept of (DOD); Government Accountability Office (GAO); State, Dept of (DOS); Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); AMTRAK - Natl Railroad Passenger Corporation; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); General Services Administration (GSA); Commerce, Dept of (DOC); Overseas Private Investment Corp (OPIC); Federal Highway Administration (FHA); SENATE; Treasury, Dept of; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM Bank); U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Energy, Dept of; Executive Office of the President (EOP); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Federal Transit Administration (FTA); Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Small Business Administration (SBA); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS)

Aviation/Airlines/Airports AVI

HR 933, omnibus appropriations, provisions related to Airport Improvement Program funding.

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

Bills named: H.R. 933 (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;

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

Bills named: H.R. 746 (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.

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

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.

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

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;

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

Labor Issues/Antitrust/Workplace LBR

Support SJ Res 36 to overturn the NLRB "ambush election" rule.

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

Bills named: S.J.Res. 36 (113th)

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

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

Bills named: S. 601 (113th)