SMART Infrastructure Act Puts Public Safety At Risk
January 09, 2020
Bipartisan legislation is hard to come by these days in Congress, which is why the Sustainable Municipal Access to Resilient Technology in Infrastructure, or SMART Act, may look good at first glance, however; this bill could do more harm than good in terms of moving America’s infrastructure into the 21st century. Engineers design, build, and......
Congress Averts Shutdown Approving Sweeping Spending Deal
December 20, 2019
In the midst of the political turmoil and tensions on Capitol Hill and the deadline to fund the government looms, Congress simultaneously reached a bipartisan $1.4 trillion spending package that funds the government through September 2020. This spending package includes core infrastructure programs for fiscal year (FY) 2020. Congressional leadership developed two ‘minibuses’ (H.R. 1865......
Infrastructure & Science Funding Bills Move Through House Committees
May 24, 2019
The House Appropriations Committee was hard at work addressing infrastructure and science education this week, which is perfect timing after last week’s nation-wide Infrastructure Week push. The committee passed bills to set aside funding for a number of infrastructure categories including water, energy, and national parks, while the House Appropriations Transportation, Housing and Urban Development......
Infrastructure Week: #BuildForTomorrow
May 16, 2019
The mood this Infrastructure Week was optimistic, with the timing perfectly sandwiched between two important meetings: the April 30th discussion between Democratic leaders in Congress and President Trump to discuss a $2 trillion investment solution and a scheduled next week to discuss funding solutions for this plan. Excitement was in the air from the DMV to Texas,......
U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Hears Infrastructure Investment Priorities
May 03, 2019
There’s more blooming this spring than just flowers; so are discussions in the House and Senate on infrastructure investment. This week, the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee held a Members’ Day Hearing as an opportunity for all Members of the U.S. House of Representatives to discuss their infrastructure investment priorities before the Committee. Lawmakers......
ASCE Gives Thanks for Infrastructure Successes
November 21, 2018
It’s that time of the year again – turkey, time off work to be with family and friends, and traveling headaches due to crowded airports and traffic on the highways. This week, millions of people around the country are traveling by way of plane, car, train, or bus to visit their loved ones near and......
Congress Returns: ASCE’s Lame-Duck To-Do List
November 16, 2018
When Congress returns on Tuesday, November 21, they face a post-election “lame-duck” session, facing a funding deadline to prevent a partial government shutdown and other lingering issues. Additionally, both parties are conducting leadership elections this week, parts of which will linger into weeks ahead. Party leadership, new Committee Chairs, and Ranking Members will all need......
February 21, 2018
This week is National Engineers Week, which celebrate how engineers make a difference in our world. This is a guest post by David Engelstad, P.E, who works for the National Park Service. In the 2017 Infrastructure Report Card, parks received a grade of ‘D+.’ What better construction project can you be assigned to than one that connects......
President’s State of Union Lays Out Infrastructure Vision
January 31, 2018
President Trump unveiled his much-anticipated infrastructure plan for the nation in his first State of the Union address last night, asking Congress to produce a bipartisan package that generates at least $1.5 trillion in investment. He put an emphasis on need for federal dollars to be leveraged by state and local government funding, as well......
Engineers Encouraged by President’s Focus on Infrastructure During State of Union Address
January 30, 2018
The following is a statement by Kristina Swallow, PE, President, American Society of Civil Engineers on President Trump’s State of the Union address to Congress on Jan. 30, 2018: “A year into his Presidency, the American Society of Civil Engineers is pleased that President Trump has focused national attention on improving our roads, bridges, and......