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
- CONGRESS RETURNS TO WORK
- NSSGA STAFF TO MEET WITH SENATE TRANSPORTATION LEADERS
- CONGRESSIONAL NEPA TASK FORCE FORMED
- HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS RESUME OVERSIGHT ROLE
- ESA TO BE TOPIC OF FIELD HEARING
- SENATE SET TO INTRODUCE FAX BAN EXEMPTION LEGISLATION
- APPLICANTS SOUGHT FOR '06 JENNIFER CURTIS BYLER SCHOLARSHIP
- NSSGA GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING SCHEDULED IN CONJUCTION WITH TCC FLY-IN
- MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE NSSGA 2005 CONGRESSIONAL AWARDS
CONGRESS RETURNS TO WORK
Congress goes back to work this week for the longest working stretch of the year, although due to the Pope's funeral the schedule will be shortened to allow a congressional delegation to go to Rome. Top on the agenda is passage of an FY '06 budget, which must be accomplished by April 15. Both the House and Senate adopted an FY '06 budget resolution and now must to reconcile the two versions. Overshadowing the agenda is whether Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) will move to prevent Democrats from filibustering President Bush's judicial nominations -- the so-called nuclear option. As a result, GOP members are trying to bring several bills to the floor in advance because Democrats have threatened to bring the Senate to a halt.While this drama plays out in the Senate, the House Energy and Commerce Committee is scheduled to mark up omnibus energy legislation. The full House is expected to consider the bankruptcy reform bill already passed by the Senate.
NSSGA STAFF TO MEET WITH SENATE TRANSPORTATION LEADERS
NSSGA staff with its TCC and ATM partners are scheduled to meet Wednesday with Senate transportation leaders, including Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee Chairman Kit Bond (R-Mo.), Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee ranking member Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and full Committee ranking member James Jeffords (I-Vt.) The meeting, spearheaded by Baucus, is for the purpose of discussing the plan for consideration of the Senate highway bill by the full Senate. Tentatively, Chairman Inhofe has been promised the last two weeks of April for consideration of the bill.
CONGRESSIONAL NEPA TASK FORCE FORMED
On April 6, House Interior Committee Chairman Richard Pombo (R-Calif.) and ranking member Nick Joe Rahall (D-W.Va.) will announce the creation of a bipartisan Task Force on Improving the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA Task Force). The NEPA Task Force goal is to ensure that the original intent of NEPA - that federal decisions are made in an appropriately environmentally sound manner, rather than being focused by litigation - will become the way the statute will be implemented going forward. Chairman Pombo has named Cathy McMorris (R-Wash.) to chair the task force.The NEPA Task Force will hold a number of field hearings and meetings across the country to hear testimony on a range of issues in the parts of the country where those issues matter most. The rationale for these field hearings is that it is best to understand the current impacts of NEPA by hearing directly from the interested and affected parties. The initial hearing is scheduled to be held in Spokane, Wash., on April 23. Contact Pam Whitted with questions.
HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS RESUME OVERSIGHT ROLE
A busy week awaits members of the House Appropriation Committee as they return from the Easter recess. The Appropriation Subcommittee on Transportation, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, and District of Columbia will hold an oversight hearing to review the progress of the Federal Highway Administration on April 6. On April 7, the Subcommittee on Interior and Environment will hear from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education will hear from OSHA and MSHA. These annual oversight hearings provide the appropriators with the opportunity to ask specific questions of department heads. NSSGA has submitted questions for the hearing process.
ESA TO BE TOPIC OF FIELD HEARING
The House Resources Committee is taking its show on the road to Jackson, Miss., where it plans to hold the first official hearing of the 109th Congress on the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as it gears up for broad reform effort later this year. On April 30, from 9 to 12 P.M., at the Museum of Natural Science, a delegation from the House Resources Committee plus additional Members of Congress who are interested, including Senators Mike Crapo (R-Wyo.) and possibly Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Trent Lott (R-Miss.) will hear from the public regarding the impact of the ESA in the area and what collaborative or innovative efforts to protect endangered or threatened species have worked. NSSGA strongly encourages members to attend to show support for reforming and updating the ESA. For more information, please contact John Boling at 703-525-8788.
SENATE SET TO INTRODUCE FAX BAN EXEMPTION LEGISLATION
The FCC has given Congress until June 30, to finish work on legislation creating an established business relationship (EBR) exemption to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991. At that time, new FCC regulations would go into effect requiring businesses and trade associations to obtain written prior authorization in order to send unsolicited commercial faxes to anyone, including their current customers and members. The Senate is scheduled to introduce a bill addressing the issue sometime this week followed by a Commerce Committee hearing set for April 13 with mark-up taking place a week later. The House is expected to introduce its bill as soon as the Senate acts. The final piece of this puzzle is the Fax Ban Coalition filing a Petition for Extension of Stay once the Senate bill is introduced, preventing the new FCC regulations from going into effect while the legislative process is underway and if a bill is not passed by the June 30 deadline. NSSGA will continue to work to ensure passage of the established business relationship exemption as quickly as possible.
APPLICANTS SOUGHT FOR '06 JENNIFER CURTIS BYLER SCHOLARSHIP
The Jennifer Curtis Byler Scholarship Fund provides an annual scholarship to the child of an aggregates industry employee who wishes to pursue collegiate studies in public or government affairs. Applications are being accepted until May 31. Contact the Government Affairs Division if you have questions.
NSSGA GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING SCHEDULED IN CONJUCTION WITH TCC FLY-IN
The Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) is busy preparing for the spring TCC Fly-In, April 26-27, at the Hotel Washington in Washington, D.C. 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.
The Hotel Washington is now sold out. If you still need to make accommodations, the TCC has found two hotel alternatives; State Plaza Hotel and Doubletree Guest Suites, located in close proximity to the Hotel Washington. If you have not already done so, please
See the TCC Fly-in preliminary agenda.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE NSSGA 2005 CONGRESSIONAL AWARDS
This October 11 NSSGA will host its 2005 Congressional Awards Dinner which recognizes members of Congress who through their votes have demonstrated continually they are pro-aggregates and pro-business. This is an opportunity for leaders in the aggregates industry to express appreciation for the support of these individuals as well as to enhance or establish relationships with lawmakers. Please join NSSGA as we acknowledge, thank and award our Congressional allies in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. The 2005 Congressional Awards reception and dinner will be held at the Cannon House Office Building in Caucus Room 345 from 6:00 to 9:30 p.m. Additional details will be forthcoming.