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 POISED TO PASS SAFETEA
- ASBESTOS BILL CONTINUES CRAWL THROUGH COMMITTEE
- HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE GIVES THUMBS DOWN TO EXPLOSIVES TAX
- INTERIOR SPENDING BILL HEADS TO HOUSE FLOOR
- NSSGA SET TO TESTIFY BEFORE FEC ON PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS FOR ASSOCIATION PACS
- CONGRESSIONAL ODD COUPLE SEEKS TO REFORM THE REFORM
- THE JENNIFER CURTIS BYLER SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION DEADLINE IS ONLY TWO WEEKS AWAY!
SENATE POISED TO PASS SAFETEA
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) received unanimous consent on Friday, May 13, to move to a final vote on the highway reauthorization bill, H.R. 3, on May 17. Under the unanimous consent agreement, only up to 25 additional amendments are now in order. All amendments not yet pending were required to be offered on the Senate floor by 4:00 p.m. May 16. Senate committee staff were working with sponsors of the pending amendments with the goal of narrowing the number to be offered. Some will not be offered, some will be judged non-germane; some will be accepted by voice vote, and the remaining half dozen or so will be dispensed with prior to the vote on final passage of H.R. 3 as amended.Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) is expected to offer an amendment to reduce by as much as $10.7 billion the $295 billion Senate reauthorization bill. Session's amendment proposes cutting $4.5 billion from the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program and $2.8 billion from the transportation enhancements program that pays for items such as bicycle trails and beautification programs. He would also cut transit spending. The TCC and ATM coalitions are opposing the Sessions amendment. NSSGA has expressed its opposition to the Sessions amendment, which his staff advises is an attempt to keep the funding level within the Administration supported amount of $284 billion, without cutting highway funding. Unfortunately, the amendment would eliminate the bulk of the $11.2 billion Grassley-Baucus funding increase and mean a funding reduction for each state.
Once passage occurs, only eight days remain until the Memorial Day recess. Even if both the Senate and House move expeditiously to a conference, the chance a conference committee will complete its work by the end of the current TEA 21 extension, May 31, is very unlikely. Congressional staff have begun talking about a short-term (one month) extension and then a possible partial shutdown of the highway program to keep pressure on a conference if it has not yet completed work. The shutdown would involve the cessation of contract authority to the states for new highway projects, but it would not mean a furlough of federal employees.
NSSGA will keep you posted on developments relating to reauthorization as they occur. Please call your senators today at (800) 450-8293 and urge a "No" vote on the Sessions amendment and a "Yes" vote on final passage of H.R. 3!
ASBESTOS BILL CONTINUES CRAWL THROUGH COMMITTEE
The asbestos trust fund bill continues to make slow but steady progress in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) is hoping to wrap up committee consideration of the bill by the Memorial Day congressional recess. Committee mark ups are scheduled for May 17 and 18 this week. It is difficult to handicap the ultimate fate of the bill either on the Senate floor or in the House subsequent to the Senate Judiciary Committee's action.
To this point, however, NSSGA has successfully shielded our nonasbestiform producers from the litigation provisions of the bill. We have done this by working with our allies in the Senate on the all important definition sections in the bill to guarantee that only asbestos production is the subject of the litigation provisions. We are also on the lookout for any other provisions that could adversely affect our operations. We will maintain a leadership role for the industry as these proceedings continue in the Senate Judiciary Committee, on the Senate floor, and eventually in the House.
HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE GIVES THUMBS DOWN TO EXPLOSIVES TAX
NSSGA arranged a meeting on May 10 for the Safety & Security Alliance For Explosives (SSAFE) Coalition with House Judiciary Committee Chief Counsel Phil Kiko to discuss the proposed user tax on explosives that was included in the administration's FY '06 budget. The proposal would allow the Judiciary Committees to impose a user tax on explosives as a method of realizing savings required of the committees as part of budget reconciliation. Mr. Kiko assured meeting participants that Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R-Wis.), was opposed to a user tax on explosives and that the committee would find the necessary savings elsewhere. Budget reconciliation is the process, which requires authorizing committees to deliver legislation making cuts in entitlement programs. Although the meeting with Mr. Kiko was reassuring, NSSGA and its coalition partners will remain vigilant as the reconciliation process unfolds.
INTERIOR SPENDING BILL HEADS TO HOUSE FLOOR
After quick consideration by the full committee, the FY 2006 $7.7 billion Interior and Environment Appropriations bill will be considered by the full House later this week. As reported in the e-Digest, NSSGA was very pleased to see funding restored for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Minerals Information Team (MIT), which the administration had targeted for a $2 million cut. NSSGA was proud to have been the leader of a small coalition to restore the MIT funding, part of the USGS Mineral Resources Program, and was instrumental in getting 19 Members of Congress to sign a letter in support of the program.The latest news is how the funding was referred to in the Committee Report, which accompanies the legislation and is closely watched by department officials. The language states:
'The Committee strongly disagrees with the proposed reduction in the Survey's mineral resource program. Minerals and mineral products are important to the U.S. economy, with processed minerals adding billions of dollars to the economy. Mineral commodities are essential to both national security and infrastructure development. Mineral resource research and assessments are a core responsibility of the Survey. The Committee does not agree that objective data on mineral commodities can be generated by the private sector.'
This strong language should make department officials think twice before they propose slashing the Minerals Information Team in the next budget cycle.
Finally, during full committee consideration the amounts for the State Revolving Funds (SRF) remained unchanged at $850 million for both the Clean Water SRF and the Drinking Water SRF.
NSSGA will continue to follow this appropriations bill closely and advocate in support for those programs that are beneficial to the industry. For more information, please contact Pam Whitted.
NSSGA previously submitted written comments to the FEC in support of this rule change that would make it easier for NSSGA members to donate to ROCKPAC and bring trade association regulations in line with corporations and labor unions that have been permitted to collect contributions for their PACs using payroll deduction from employees and members since 1977. Payroll deduction allows individuals to spread their PAC contribution over the course of an entire year and automates it for them so there is no need to write numerous checks. NSSGA's comments and testimony before the FEC on this issue can be found online here.
The Pence-Wynn legislation seeks to limit the role of so-called "527 committees" by removing hard-money contribution limits on federal committees and parties and removing spending limits imposed on national political parties in an election cycle. Of importance to NSSGA, this bill also would index limits on the amount of contributions that could be made to or by PACs and permit companies to grant prior approval to more than one trade association per calendar year.
This bill does nothing to curtail the efforts of 527 groups, but instead allows nonprofits, labor unions, and trade associations to do the same thing that 527 committees are allowed to do under the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA). NSSGA opposed BCRA and supports these reforms being put forth by Congressmen Wynn and Pence to correct the imbalances that BCRA created. We will continue to update you as this legislation progresses.
NSSGA SET TO TESTIFY BEFORE FEC ON PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS FOR ASSOCIATION PACS
NSSGA Vice President for Government Affairs Pam Whitted is slated to testify the afternoon of May 17, before a hearing of the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on a proposed rule change that would allow trade associations to collect contributions for their PACs from their members using payroll deduction. NSSGA was invited to testify on a three-person panel that will also include representatives of America's Community Bankers and the AFL-CIO.
CONGRESSIONAL ODD COUPLE SEEKS TO REFORM THE REFORM
The House Administration Committee will hold a hearing this week to consider the "527 Fairness Act" sponsored by Reps. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), Chairman of the Republican Study Committee, and Albert Wynn (D-Md.), Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus Task Force on Campaign Finance Reform.
THE JENNIFER CURTIS BYLER SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION DEADLINE IS ONLY TWO WEEKS AWAY!
The May 31 Jennifer Curtis Byler Scholarship application deadline is rapidly approaching, if you have questions please Contact the Government Affairs Division to learn more about this opportunity for your child. This scholarship is awarded annually to the child of an aggregates industry employee who wishes to pursue collegiate studies in public or government affairs. The Jennifer Curtis Byler Scholarship Fund was established in 2002 to memorialize the life of a sand and gravel producer's family member and to perpetuate her interest and involvement in the political process. Applications are being accepted until May 31.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"It is time the Senate starts acting as a Senate instead of a kindergarten ... It is time we get some senators by the nape of the neck and tell them to put up or shut up because this legislation is crucial."-- Senate Rules Chairman Lott, blowing off some steam Monday at anonymous senators who were threatening to place holds on the substitute offered to the transportation reauthorization bill. Lott then thanked Environment and Public Works Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee Chairman Christopher (Kit) Bond, R-Mo., for allowing him to offer "that calm expression of concern."