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

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

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

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

Bills named: H.Con.Res. 25 (113th), H.R. 1243 (113th), H.R. 2084 (113th), H.R. 152 (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: Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM Bank); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); AMTRAK - Natl Railroad Passenger Corporation; Federal Highway Administration (FHA); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Executive Office of the President (EOP); State, Dept of (DOS); SENATE; Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Education, Dept of; General Services Administration (GSA); Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Small Business Administration (SBA); U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Energy, Dept of; Federal Transit Administration (FTA); Treasury, Dept of; Commerce, Dept of (DOC); Overseas Private Investment Corp (OPIC); Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Government Accountability Office (GAO); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Bills named: H.R. 8 (113th), S.Con.Res. 8 (113th), H.R. 2084 (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: State, Dept of (DOS); Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Executive Office of the President (EOP); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Federal Transit Administration (FTA); Transportation, Dept of (DOT); Treasury, Dept of; Education, Dept of; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Federal Highway Administration (FHA); Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); Defense, Dept of (DOD); U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); Overseas Private Investment Corp (OPIC); General Services Administration (GSA); Commerce, Dept of (DOC); AMTRAK - Natl Railroad Passenger Corporation; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM Bank); Energy, Dept of; Government Accountability Office (GAO); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Small Business Administration (SBA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE

Bills named: H.R. 903 (113th), H.R. 2667 (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; HR 1793.

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

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

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

Aviation/Airlines/Airports AVI

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

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

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

Bills named: H.R. 1942 (113th), H.R. 436 (113th), H.R. 2232 (113th), 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; S 761/HR 1616, provisions related to energy modeling and codes consolidation.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bills named: S. 601 (113th)