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
- FALL CONGRESSIONAL AGENDA DRAMATICALLY ALTERED
- GAS USER FEE REPEAL EFFORTS RESURFACE
- DEATH TAX REPEAL PUSHED TO THE BACKBURNER IN SENATE
- HOUSE VOTE SCHEDULED ON BILL TO ASSIST SMALL BUSINESS
- CONGRESS TO CONSIDER IMPROVING ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT
- GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DIVISION TO HOST STRATEGY SESSION
- PRIOR APPROVALS ESSENTIAL TO ROCKPAC'S GROWTH; NEW PAYROLL-DEDUCTION OPTION OFFERS ADDITIONAL SIMPLICITY
FALL CONGRESSIONAL AGENDA DRAMATICALLY ALTERED
Lawmakers returned to Washington Sept. 6 to a vastly changed environment due to the destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina and the death of U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist. Members of Congress on both sides of the Capitol began to meet this week to discuss how to bolster federal relief to the hurricane stricken region, begin reconstruction and lay the ground work for more effective emergency preparations for future natural or man-made disasters. Included in the array of issues confronting lawmakers are the urgent needs in the Gulf Coast states for housing and roads. The hurricane's destruction also had long-term consequences for the nation's energy supplies and transportation system so vital to moving people, goods and commodities.
Immediate schedule changes involved the postponement for a week of the hearings on John Roberts now nominated to succeed Chief Justice Rehnquist. The delay is meant to allow time to properly pay respect to the late Chief Justice. According to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), the Senate still intends to vote on the nomination before the beginning of the opening of the next Supreme Court session the first Monday in Oct. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor said in announcing her retirement that she would remain on the Court until her replacement was confirmed. Even though the Court may have a full complement when it meets in Oct., O'Connor could not vote in cases where she would not be present when they are decided.
As reported below, the Senate Majority leader postponed the vote on death tax repeal until a later date (unspecified.) Congress is also said to be debating whether to delay work on the first required cuts in mandatory spending programs in almost a decade as part of the budget reconciliation process. The fiscal 2006 budget resolution calls for separate reconciliation bills that would cut spending by $34.7 billion over five years and would reduce taxes by $70 billion.
Nine FY '06 appropriations bills still await passage, including the Senate Transportation Appropriations bill. Further time must also be devoted to developing legislation aimed at providing additional aid to the devastated region and incentives to spur the economy. A projected October adjournment date is expected to slip into the holiday season.
GAS USER FEE REPEAL EFFORTS RESURFACE
In anticipation of congressional hearings on gas prices, NSSGA has voiced concerns about efforts to suspend or repeal the federal user fee on gasoline (click here for NSSGA's news release). Rep. Steve Pearce (R-N.M.) has announced plans to introduce a bill to repeal the gas user fee, and other members are developing similar bills. NSSGA has pointed out that such an action has been defeated in the past because the majority of Congress understood that this does not necessarily result in savings to the consumer, but does threaten the well being of our nation's roads and highways. Additional hearings are anticipated and NSSGA is working with the relevant congressional committees, as well as coalition partners, to defeat gas user fee repeal initiatives.
DEATH TAX REPEAL PUSHED TO THE BACKBURNER IN SENATE
Repeal of the death tax, once thought to be among the first items to be addressed by the Senate upon its return from the August recess, has been relegated to the backburner as senators turn their attention to funding Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, hearings on the response to the disaster, soaring gas prices, and filling two Supreme Court vacancies.
The Senate was set to vote this week on whether to permanently repeal the death tax, but Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) has temporarily shelved the bill, only saying that the Senate would take it up at an unspecified "later" date. That announcement came two hours after Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) called for Republicans to back off tax cuts in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina tragedy, saying, "Not now, for heaven's sake." Reid's spokesman added that Democrats were prepared to temporarily filibuster the death tax repeal bill.
NSSGA is a member of the Death Tax Repeal Working Group and is actively promoting its elimination. NSSGA President & CEO Joy Wilson sent a letter to every senator earlier this summer urging that they vote for full repeal when the bill is brought up. A sample letter to senators urging repeal is available in NSSGA's Legislative Action Center.
HOUSE VOTE SCHEDULED ON BILL TO ASSIST SMALL BUSINESS
The House is scheduled to take up two bills this week aimed at helping small businesses deal with regulations and encouraging minority ownership. The House Small Business Committee approved the bills on July 14. The first bill, sponsored by Rep. John Sweeney (R-N.Y.), would establish a program for development centers to provide free, confidential advice and training to small businesses on how to comply with state and federal regulations. Proponents say this initiative is needed because costs of compliance are typically higher for small business, which tend to have fewer resources than larger firms. The House passed a similar measure in the last Congress but the Senate never took it up.The second bill, H.R. 3207, sponsored by Michael G. Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) would create a pilot program to bring together the leaders of certain small businesses deemed to have significant growth potential. The program would be implemented by selected Small Business Development centers.
NSSGA supports efforts to ease the compliance burden on small businesses, the majority of NSSGA members, and to promote initiatives to boost growth.
CONGRESS TO CONSIDER IMPROVING ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT
On both sides of Capitol Hill, Members of Congress are working hard to draft legislation that would improve the Endangered Species Act (ESA), by insisting on mpore of a sound science standard. Late last month, as reported in the Aug. 23, 2005, Washington Watch, Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Craig Thomas (R-Wyo.) are part of a working group that intends to introduce meaningful ESA reform legislation by the end of the year. On the other side of the Capitol, House Resources Committee Chairman, Richard Pombo (R-Calif.), should have a bill ready the week of Sept. 19, 2005, and has requested the Majority Leader schedule time for consideration by the full House of Representatives the week of Sept. 26 (read letter here).NSSGA staff has been working very closely with the House Resources Committee to help educate congressional staff on the merits of Chairman Pombo's efforts and build bipartisan support for the legislation. NSSGA plans to continue working with the Chairman to produce a good bill that will provide benefits for the aggregates industry. For more information, please contact John Boling.
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DIVISION TO HOST STRATEGY SESSION
The Government Affairs Division is holding a strategy session on Wednesday, Oct. 12, in Washington, D.C., at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill. The session will run from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. followed by dinner (location to be determined) and is open to all interested Association members. It is designed to review the surface transportation reauthorization process, but more importantly to strategize for the future, from the next surface transportation bill, to the other priority issues in which the Association must be involved.This session is one of several that is being held in conjunction with other Association events beginning Monday, Oct. 10, with the Environmental, Safety and Health Forum. On Tuesday night, Oct. 11, from 6:30 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. the NSSGA Executive Committee is hosting a Congressional Reception for all Association members in town to greet and thank members of Congress and congressional staff who supported passage of SAFETEA-LU and have been supporters of other NSSGA initiatives.
NSSGA has reserved a room block at the Hyatt Regency, 400 New Jersey Ave., NW. Reservations can be made by calling the hotel at: 202-737-1234 or 1-800-233-1234 and asking for the NSSGA ESH Forum room rate of $153 single/double. A limited number of rooms also are available on Wednesday night. Washington hotels book up very quickly this time of year, so be sure to make your hotel reservation as soon as possible. NSSGA's room rate expires Friday, Sept. 16.
Please RSVP to Patricia Maeder regarding your attendance at the strategy session. Information materials will be sent out in advance for your review and consideration.
PRIOR APPROVALS ESSENTIAL TO ROCKPAC'S GROWTH; NEW PAYROLL-DEDUCTION OPTION OFFERS ADDITIONAL SIMPLICITY
NSSGA recently sent out requests to all member companies' official representatives (ORs) asking them either to grant prior approval for NSSGA to communicate with and solicit a company's executives and management for contributions to its political action committee, ROCKPAC, or provide updates to their current prior approval information. In no way does granting prior approval obligate you, your company or any of its employees to contribute. Your company's individual employees participation, however, ensures that NSSGA's voice will continue to be heard on Capitol Hill.ROCKPAC is offering for the first time the ability to donate throughout the year via a payroll deduction plan. This option, just approved for use by the Federal Election Commission (FEC), will simplify the donation process by enabling employees of participating companies to break up their contributions into smaller amounts spread out over a year, if they so choose, rather than making them in one lump sum. Please be sure to check the payroll deduction box on the prior approval form if you wish to provide your employees with this option. If you need a new form or have additional questions about the prior approval requirement, please contact Jim Riley for more information. We extend our sincerest thanks to all of the ORs of NSSGA member companies who have already helped NSSGA comply.
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