Jim Riley, Director, Government Affairs
John Boling, Director, Government Affairs
Paula Dietz, Director, Government Affairs
Patricia Maeder, Division Coordinator
www.nssga.org
Action Center
e-Digest
- CONGRESS RECESSES UNTIL NOV. 14; NINE APPROPRIATIONS BILLS REMAIN
- SENATE FAILS TO PASS SAFETEA-LU TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS BILL
- SENATE CONFIRMS TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY; OTHER NOMINATIONS LEFT PENDING
- HOUSE APPROVES DAM BILL
- WATER BILL ON HOLD UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTIONS
- DEATH TAX REFORM DEAD AND BURIED THIS CONGRESS?
- TRIP REPORTS MORE THAN ONE-FOURTH OF OUR NATION'S URBAN ROADS ARE IN POOR CONDITION
- NSSGA SAFETEA-LU REAUTHORIZATION TASK FORCE HOLDS MEETING
- THERE IS NO GOOD EXCUSE NOT TO VOTE!
- NSSGA GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS/COMMUNITY RELATIONS FORUM EARLY-BIRD DISCOUNT ENDS OCT. 13
CONGRESS RECESSES UNTIL NOV. 14; NINE APPROPRIATIONS BILLS REMAIN
In a widely anticipated move, the House and Senate passed the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security appropriations bills prior to departing. Included in the Defense Appropriations bill was a Continuing Resolution (CR) funding the operations of the government through Nov. 17, at which time another continuing resolution will be required. Congress is expected to resume deliberation on the remaining spending bills when members return on Nov. 14.
The CR funds government transportation programs at the FY 2006 approved level that for highways is $36 billion. Until Congress enacts the FY 2007 Department of Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, and District of Columbia bill, the $39.1 billion in guaranteed spending for the highway program will not be realized.
NSSGA will continue to advocate for timely passage of the remaining spending bills, as there are numerous programs that affect member companies. If you have a question regarding the funding level of a specific program, please contact "Vote for Business".
On Sept. 29, the House passed by voice vote H.R. 6233, a bill making corrections to SAFETEA-LU, and sent the bill to the Senate. In order to pass a bill by unanimous consent, leadership has to check with rank-and-file members to ensure there are no objections to it. The bill did not get that far in the Senate after Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking that has jurisdiction over the transit portions of the bill, objected to bringing the bill up in that chamber. Shelby reportedly wants to wait until the lame-duck session to deal with the bill. NSSGA urged passage by Congress of H.R. 6233 because it includes a provision to equalize the share distribution for aggregates research to 80/20 as provided for other materials, and it provides more resources to the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission. NSSGA will continue efforts with its NAPA and ACPA partners for passage of H.R. 6233 in the lame-duck session.
SENATE FAILS TO PASS SAFETEA-LU TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS BILL
On Sept. 29, the Senate confirmed by unanimous consent the nomination of Mary Peters to be Secretary of Transportation. Ms. Peters is the 15th transportation secretary and the second female to hold the position. She previously headed the Federal Highway Administration.
Other pending nominations:
On Sept. 26, the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee reported favorably the nomination of Roger Martella to be General Counsel of the Environmental Protection Agency. His nomination has been placed on the Senate calendar.
The nomination of William Wehrum to be EPA Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation is pending in the Senate EPW Committee. Wehrum is currently acting in that capacity.
The renomination of Richard Stickler to be Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health was returned to the president on Sept. 29 prior to adjournment until after the November elections. (Senate rules require that all pending nominations be returned to the president if the Senate has not acted on them prior to adjourning or recessing for more than 30 days.) Stickler's initial nomination was sent back to the White House in advance of the August recess. The president resubmitted his nomination in early September.
SENATE CONFIRMS TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY; OTHER NOMINATIONS LEFT PENDING
Following approval by the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure, the House passed by voice vote before adjourning legislation to reauthorize the National Dam Safety Program and improve the safety and security of the nation's approximately 80,000 dams. The National Dam Safety Program Reauthorization (H.R. 4981) provides technical and financial assistance to state dam safety officials to mitigate potential failures. The legislation now heads to the Senate for consideration where its outlook is unclear due to the many issues facing Congress when it returns after the Nov. 7, elections. For more information on this bill, please contact Government Affairs.
HOUSE APPROVES DAM BILL
Before leaving town, the top negotiators on the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) legislation issued a joint statement highlighting their commitment to passing a comprehensive bipartisan bill when Congress returns in November. With time running out before Congress adjourned for the elections and with a few remaining issues unresolved, the conferees said they will return in November ready to pass WRDA.
In the statement, the negotiators noted there was a lot of good faith compromise and substantial progress had been made but that time ran out. The WRDA legislation authorizes civil works projects for the Army Corps of Engineers. These are navigation projects that keep U.S. ports and waterways open to commercial traffic, flood damage reduction projects that protect homes and businesses, and environmental restoration projects that enhance the quality of life. These projects are located throughout the nation, use aggregate, and have a positive economic return to the nation for every dollar invested.
NSSGA will continue to press for passage of the WRDA reauthorization. For additional information, please contact Government Affairs.
WATER BILL ON HOLD UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTIONS
Congress recessed for the upcoming November elections without Senate action on the so-called "Trifecta" bill that would permanently reform the death tax, extend a number of popular tax breaks that are due to expire and raise the minimum wage. A number of Senate Republicans remain committed to separating the measures and passing at least the tax extenders, while the House Republican Leadership has closed the door on passing the tax extenders independently. With the House having rejected independent passage of the extenders, it appears that at least that chamber is willing to stick with an all-or-nothing approach.
Unless another two votes can be found for the Trifecta between now and when Congress returns for its lame-duck session in November, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) will not bring the bill back up for consideration just so that it can be defeated for a third time. It is crucial to use the time leading up to Election Day to press senators to support a permanent reduction of the death tax. NSSGA is a member of the Death Tax Working Group that is advocating for death tax reform. Please visit NSSGA's Legislative Action Center to learn more about how you can take action and use the campaign season to push our industry's case on this and other issues.
DEATH TAX REFORM DEAD AND BURIED THIS CONGRESS?
On Oct. 2, The Road Information Program (TRIP) released its study "Rough Ride In The City: Metro Areas With the Roughest Rides and Strategies to Make Our Roads Smoother." In the study, TRIP examines the conditions of major roads in metropolitan centers, including recent trends in urban travel and the latest developments in repairing and building roads to last longer.
According to the TRIP report, continued increase in urban traffic is putting significant wear and tear on the nation's urban roads. Through the study, TRIP determined the following ten cities have the poorest road conditions: San Jose - 66 %, Los Angeles - 65 %, San Francisco / Oakland - 58 %, Kansas City - 58 %, New Orleans (pre-Katrina) - 56 %, San Diego - 54 %, Sacramento - 50 %, St. Louis - 46 %, Omaha - 46 % and New York City - 45 %. Poor road conditions lead to an increase in traffic fatalities and injuries and additional vehicle maintenance costs. The study reports that overall travel on urban roads increased by 38 percent from 1990 to 2004; urban travel by large commercial trucks grew at an even faster rate, increasing by 51 percent from 1990 to 2004.
This report echoes the sentiments that TRIP Executive Director Will Wilkins spoke of to the NSSGA Board of Directors at the 2006 Annual Convention in Tampa, Fla. NSSGA will continue to work with TRIP to communicate information to the public necessary to build the case for increased investment in the system.
TRIP REPORTS MORE THAN ONE-FOURTH OF OUR NATION'S URBAN ROADS ARE IN POOR CONDITION
NSSGA's SAFETEA-LU Reauthorization Task Force held its first face-to-face meeting in Washington on Sept. 27 and Sept. 28. National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commissioner Jack Shenendorf met with task force members Sept. 27, and provided insight on the activities of the Commission. Task force members were given a tutorial on highway financing by Susan Binder, Deputy Associate Administrator for the Office of Policy & Governmental Affairs of the Federal Highway Administration, at their meeting on Sept 28. Task force members drafted a vision and core principles for reauthorization, which will be presented for Government Affairs Division and Executive Committee approval at the Oct. meeting. Initial discussions began and will continue on specific funding options to carry out the vision for reauthorization. A core principle of the task force is to work in close cooperation with coalition partners of the Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) and Americans for Transportation Mobility (ATM).
NSSGA SAFETEA-LU REAUTHORIZATION TASK FORCE HOLDS MEETING
In this crucial election year where control of both houses of Congress is up for grabs, many of these races will be decided by a number of votes smaller than the number of employees working at NSSGA member companies in those states. Your vote and those of your colleagues can make the difference - literally!
NSSGA's partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on the "Vote for Business" political program is your "one-stop" place for everything you need to vote. Just access the NSSGA Election '06 "Vote for Business" web site via the Government Affairs Division section on the NSSGA web site. There you can register to vote, request an absentee ballot, learn who the candidates are and how they have voted on business issues in the past, locate your polling place, and much more.
More than ever, it is crucial for business to play a key role in electing those who will govern us. NSSGA's "Vote for Business" project has made this easier than ever before. Click on the logo below to get started today and don't forget to spread the word to your coworkers to register and vote!
THERE IS NO GOOD EXCUSE NOT TO VOTE!
Register today for the first-ever Government Affairs/Community Relations Forum, Nov. 12-14 at the Radisson Plaza Lord Baltimore hotel in downtown Baltimore, Md. Register today and receive the special early-bird discount that ends Oct. 13. Book your room at the special Forum rate of $125 until the hotel cut-off date of Oct. 27. The Government Affairs and/Community Relations Forum is tailored to meet the needs of aggregates professionals who represent their operations before the media, elected officials and community leaders. This forum will provide new and advanced tools to produce more effective communications, and it has been designed specifically for the employee who wears more than one hat in his or her organization.
In addition to the communications tools, sessions dealing directly with issues that predominate in the aggregates industry will be presented, including permitting and regulations; local, state and federal government relations; and land use and your local government. Through these expert-led sessions, seasoned communications and government affairs professionals and beginners can study the basic and the newest techniques.
The Forum will also offer a VIP "Behind the Scenes Tour of The Rocks Gallery" at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. This exclusive tour will take you into the research halls of the Smithsonian to learn and view first-hand some of the "rocks" that have impacted the development of our quality of life.
Stay-tuned to the Washington Watch and e-Digest for more information. When registering, be sure to enter promotional code GACR06ED. Click here to register.
NSSGA GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS/COMMUNITY RELATIONS FORUM EARLY-BIRD DISCOUNT ENDS OCT. 13
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