Engineering Inc. - January/February 2010 - 6

LEGISLaTIVE aCTION FROM aCEC’S GOVERNMENT aFFaIRS DEPaRTMENT HealtH care Debate resumes; acec urges Infrastructure upgraDes In Jobs package House passes Jobs bill Including major Infrastructure Investments; acec urges congress to move beyond “shovel ready” The House cleared a $75 billion jobs bill prior to adjournment in December that includes more than $48 billion for transportation, water, energy, school renovation and housing projects. Funds redirected from the Troubled Assets Relief Program, which aided struggling financial institutions, will pay for the bill. ACEC President Dave Raymond applauded House leaders for the continued emphasis on infrastructure investment, but cautioned Congress to move away from basic maintenance projects and fund larger infrastructure improvements that will do more to create and sustain jobs. “The previous focus on pothole filling and pavement resurfacing cannot sustain robust job creation or energize the economy,” Raymond said. “We need to go after major infrastructure upgrades to give the economy the boost it needs.” The Jobs for Main Street Act sets aside $27.5 billion for highway projects and $8.4 billion for transit, amounts almost equal to the first stimulus bill passed earlier in the year. Amtrak receives $800 million, and $500 million goes for airport projects. For water and wastewater projects, the bill sets aside $2 billion to be divided equally between the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act State Revolving Fund. The legislation provides $4.1 billion for school renovation grants, as well as $2 billion for affordable housing and public housing projects. On the energy side, the legislation includes $2 billion for renewable energy and electric transmission projects. The Senate is expected to act on the jobs bill early in 2010. acec pushes for long-term transportation bill; congress passes short-term extension The U.S. House and Senate agreed to another short-term extension of federal programs under the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act (SAFETEA-LU), which now are set to expire on Feb. 28, 2010. The action was necessary to keep federal funds flowing to state highway and transit projects while Congress continues to debate a long-term bill. Congressional interest in a robust transportation bill is growing as a means for lawmakers to respond to rising unemployment. In an industry coalition letter to every member of Congress, ACEC and other organizations wrote, “Enactment of a multiyear transportation bill is a unique opportunity to address two major national economic challenges by promoting job creation and incentivizing capital investment.”ENGINEERING INC. JaNuaRy / FEbRuaRy 2010 One proposal, offered by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.) and Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.), would suspend payments from the Highway Trust Fund for two years and replace it with General Fund spending in excess of $100 billion. The Highway Trust Fund would continue to accumulate tax revenues during this period and would resume outlays to the states for the remaining four years of the six-year program. Because few in Congress want to consider boosting the federal gas tax to pay for the new program, supporters say, this proposal is one way to secure passage of a new bill with significant funding increases. One item of concern, however, would be the potential loss of budgetary firewalls that protect the transportation Trust Fund, provisions ACEC and the other major stakeholder groups would fight to defend. Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.) House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.) partisan climate change bill clears committee; new approach in progress The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved a global-warming bill in November; without bipartisan support, its future is bleak and next steps are unclear. One of the bill’s co-sponsors, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), is working with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) to develop a biparISSuES ON ThE MOVE Six-year transportation program health care reform New DOT audit and accounting rules Expanded federal water program WhaT’S NExT action expected in the spring Final action anticipated late winter FhWa regulations expected in the spring Senate action expected late winter BreNDaN hoffmaN/Getty imaGes Carrie Devorah/NewsCom

Engineering Inc. - January/February 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Engineering Inc. - January/February 2010