Jim Riley, Director, Government Affairs
John Boling, Director, Government Affairs
Joe Colaneri, Director, Government Affairs
Patricia Maeder, Division Coordinator
www.nssga.org
Action Center
e-Digest
- SENATE COMMITTEE PASSES HIGHWAY REAUTHORIZATION BILL
- SENATE APPROVES "RESERVE FUND" AMENDMENT TO FY '06 BUDGET
- ACT NOW TO ENSURE A WELL-FUNDED REAUTHORIZATION BILL
- PRO-BUSINESS CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM LEGISLATION INTRODUCED
- ROCKPAC MERCEDES RECEPTION A SMASH HIT; PREVIOUS RECORDS SHATTERED
- MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THE APRIL 26-27 NSSGA GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING AND TCC FLY-IN
SENATE COMMITTEE PASSES HIGHWAY REAUTHORIZATION BILL
On March 16 and 17, the Senate Environment and Public Works and Banking Committees respectively passed a TEA 21 reauthorization bill with guaranteed funding of $284 billion for highways and mass transit. Environment Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Banking Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), both indicated their displeasure with the funding levels they felt compelled to approve by a directive from the Senate Republican leadership to keep the price tag for the six-year surface transportation bill at $284 billion. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) earlier indicated that the bill would not be allowed on the Senate floor if the $284 figure were breached.Once the reauthorization bill gets to the Senate floor, both Inhofe and Shelby suggested all bets are off. In fact, Chairman Inhofe implied that he would encourage and "probably support" an amendment to raise spending above $284 billion, despite a White House veto threat. Sen. Shelby suggested he might do the same - so the floor battle will be joined in the coming weeks.
The programmatic provisions in the reauthorization are similar to those in the highway bill passed by the Senate last year on a 76-21 vote. That bill authorized some $318 billion in overall transportation spending versus this year's $284 billion figure and died in conference, largely over funding issues. The state donor/donee issue (the rate of return to the states) is at the core of the current reauthorization debate and remains a major roadblock to reauthorization.
NSSGA continues to be at the center of the reauthorization debate together with our partners from the Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) and the Americans for Transportation Mobility (ATM). During the Spring District Work Period, the ATM is running a radio ad in targeted areas (districts/states represented by congressional leaders) to urge congressional action on a well-funded, six-year reauthorization bill. Our advocacy will continue to be aggressive and focused.
SENATE APPROVES "RESERVE FUND" AMENDMENT TO FY '06 BUDGET
The Senate Budget resolution for fiscal year 2006 passed last week by a close vote of 52-48, but enough to move the process forward to the next round. Among the amendments debated were two noteworthy to the reauthorization of TEA 21. The Senate defeated an amendment (for budgetary purposes) to increase to $318 billion over six years the funding for highways and mass transit.The Senate approved an amendment offered by Senator Jim Talent (R-Mo.) to create a "reserve fund" or "bucket" to hold additional funds for highways and mass transit beyond the budgeted $284 billion if the Senate Finance Committee can identify such funds. This is an important amendment in its potential to increase highway spending - although in a tight budget year such as 2006 it remains to be seen whether this amendment is the real deal or a legislative mirage. Still, in principle, it is a positive development that we will watch closely as the TEA 21 debate continues.
ACT NOW TO ENSURE A WELL-FUNDED REAUTHORIZATION BILL
Congress is home for its Spring District Work Period this week and next. There is no better time to contact your Senators and urge them to pass a well-funded highway reauthorization bill as soon as possible. Be sure to contact their local district offices to make your voice heard or call NSSGA's Washington Action Hotline at (800) 450-8293 to be connected directly to the U.S. Capitol Switchboard and ask to speak with your member of Congress. You may use NSSGA's Legislative Action Center and use the sample letter we have posted there to customize your own e-mail message. Please take a moment to contact Congress TODAY!
PRO-BUSINESS CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM LEGISLATION INTRODUCED
Reps. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) and Albert Wynn (D-Md.) have introduced H.R. 1316, the "527 Fairness Act of 2005," in an attempt to address some of the problems inadvertently created by the last round of campaign finance reform. Among the various provisions are two that deal directly with political action committees, one of which specifically impacts trade associations.The more important of the two provisions addresses the "prior approval" requirement for trade association PACs. Currently, a trade association may solicit donations to its PAC only from those member companies that have granted it prior approval to do so. If a company belongs to more than one trade association, it may grant prior approval only to one association during a calendar year. The Pence-Wynn bill would remove the onerous prior approval requirement altogether and permit a trade association to solicit PAC donations from any of its members the same way that it may already communicate with them on any other issue.
The second provision introduced in this legislation with regard to PACs would index contribution limits to inflation on the amount of contributions made to or by a PAC. The present contribution limit is set at $5,000 per calendar year from an individual or a PAC to a PAC as well as from a PAC to a federal candidate. Campaign finance reform increased the individual donor's limit to federal candidates and indexed the limit to inflation, but did not touch PAC limits. As a result, if PAC limits are not indexed to inflation, it is only a matter of a few short years before individuals will be able to donate more to a candidate than would a PAC.
NSSGA has long supported these two proposed reforms included in the Pence-Wynn legislation and fully backs their passage as incorporated into this new bill. NSSGA will keep members advised of developments on this bill
ROCKPAC MERCEDES RECEPTION A SMASH HIT; PREVIOUS RECORDS SHATTERED
The annual ROCKPAC Mercedes Reception was held on March 16, at the Las Vegas Hilton during the NSSGA convention and it was a smashing success! Congratulations go out to Scott Hughes of Anchor Stone in Tulsa, Okla., who won the Grand Prize of a 2005 Mercedes Benz and the 40 other prize winners. (A full list of prize-winners follows.)For the first-time ever, ROCKPAC raised more than $300,000 at a single event. The final tally put the 2005 ROCKPAC fundraiser at just more than $311,000 - nearly $70,000 above than the record set just last year! In addition, for the first-time, ROCKPAC went over the 1,000 tickets sold marker, selling almost 1,200 tickets.
Martin Marietta Materials and H.B. Mellott Estate received awards for their outstanding levels of participation, both exceeding $20,000 raised from among their respective employees. Martin Marietta Materials Chairman, President & CEO Steve Zelnak and H.B. Mellott Estate CEO Paul Mellott were both on hand to accept the awards on behalf of their companies.
If you hold a winning ticket and were not present at the event, you will be contacted soon regarding your prize claim information. Any ROCKPAC Major Donor ($500 and up) who did not receive their gift bag in Las Vegas will have it shipped to them. If you do not receive your gift bag or have any problems with it, please contact Jim Riley at (703) 526-1084. Thank you once again to everyone who contributed to ROCKPAC this year. We will see you next year in Tampa!
$3,000 |
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Industries, Inc. |
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$4,000 |
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John Deere Gator |
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Machinery, Inc |
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Driver / Wood / Putter |
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Quarry Company, Inc. |
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CEMCO, Inc. Deister Machine Co., Inc. Hanson Building Materials America, Inc. Lafarge Construction Materials Martin Marietta Aggregates Metso Minerals Oldcastle M aterials, Inc. Rogers Group, Inc. Vulcan Materials Company National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association |
2005 Mercedes-Benz |
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THE APRIL 26-27 NSSGA GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING AND TCC FLY-IN
The Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) is busy preparing for the spring TCC Fly-In, April 26-27, at the Hotel Washington. NSSGA is holding a Government Affairs Committee meeting from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on April 26 at the Hotel Washington before the start of the fly-in. Lunch will be served, followed by a one-hour meeting of the ROCKPAC Trustees beginning at 1:00 p.m.The TCC General Session will begin at 2:30 p.m. on April 26, and a Congressional reception will follow at 6:00 p.m. The morning of April 27 will begin with a breakfast speaker followed by a day of lobbying on Capitol Hill. The fly-in comes at a critical time in TEA 21 reauthorization, with only one month remaining until the expiration of the May 31 extension. In addition to TEA 21 reauthorization, Congress will be trying to negotiate the funding levels for the 13 annual appropriations bills, including Transportation-Treasury appropriations.
Reserve your room now, the deadline is Thursday, Mar. 24. There are still rooms available and we are attempting to extend the deadline. Reservations may be made under the "TCC Fly-In" room block by calling (202) 638-5900 or (800) 424-9540. We need your help to move reauthorization past the finish line, so make your reservations now!