Senate Passes First FY20 Appropriations Bills
November 01, 2019
This week, the Senate passed their first FY20 appropriations bills in a “minibus,” or spending package (H.R. 3055) that consists of four bills: Interior & Environment; Transportation, Housing & Urban Development; Commerce, Justice & Science; and Agriculture. The Senate’s FY20 Interior & Environment appropriations bill includes: $9 billion for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),......
Success: House Passes the Full Utilization of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Act
October 29, 2019
This week, the House passed H.R. 2440, the Full Utilization of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Act, by a vote of 296 – 109. ASCE endorsed H.R. 2440 earlier this year, and this bill was one of our 2019 legislative fly-in priorities. The passage of H.R. 2440 would not have been possible without the incredible......
Future World Vision Unveiled 2019 ASCE Convention With Extra Push for Infrastructure Advocacy
October 11, 2019
ASCE’s 2019 Convention looked a little different this year. Attendees are able to step inside a Floating City – the first installment in ASCE’s Future World Vision, which was officially unveiled at this year’s Convention. Outgoing ASCE President Robin A. Kemper opened the morning energizing the audience by sounding the alarm on infrastructure. In her......
It’s Fiscal Year 2020. Where do the FY2020 Appropriations Bills Stand?
October 11, 2019
To close out the fiscal year last month, House passed a stopgap spending measure, or continuing resolution (CR), to fund the government through November 21, 2019. The current fiscal year expired on September 30, and without a second stopgap measure or the approval of Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, we will expect a government shutdown. The......
Senate FY20 Appropriations Updates
September 27, 2019
Thanks to advocacy by ASCE’s Key Contacts and the U.S. Levee Safety Coalition – of which ASCE is a member – the Senate Appropriations Committee matched the House’s $15 million proposed funding level for the National Levee Safety Program’s levee inventory in its FY20 Energy & Water Development appropriations bill, which passed out of the......
ASCE Testifies on Country’s Pressing Infrastructure Needs Before House Budget Committee
September 26, 2019
On September 25, the House Committee on the Budget, whose chief responsibility is to draft an annual concurrent resolution on the budget that provides a Congressional framework for spending and revenue levels, held is first hearing focusing on the nation’s infrastructure in recent memory. ASCE Board member and Director of Houston Public Works Carol Haddock......
Resilience Revolving Loan Fund Helps Cities and States Prepare for the Future Now
September 20, 2019
We’re at peak hurricane season, with the recent Hurricane Dorian squeaking by the Carolinas, but devastating the Bahamas. At the same time in Houston, torrential rain and deadly flooding from the remnants of Tropical Storm Imelda is canceling flights, leaving hundreds of cars abandoned in the roads, and turning roads into rivers. Now is an......
Congress is Back in Session: Here’s What to Watch For
September 13, 2019
Now that summer has ‘unofficially’ ended, Congress returns to D.C. with a laundry list of items to accomplish before wrapping up the 2019 legislative session. However, what’s most pressing is that Congress must pass all 12 appropriations (funding) bills before the end of the fiscal year on September 30, 2019 to prevent a government shutdown.......
Big Travel Weekend Coincides with New Traffic Report
August 29, 2019
This weekend marks the last (unofficial) weekend of summer, and with the long weekend just hours away, people across the country will be hitting the road. Another holiday means more holiday traffic, which shines a spotlight on the need to improve our transportation infrastructure. According to the travel industry group Airlines for America, about 17.5......
FEMA Unveils New National Mitigation Investment Strategy
August 16, 2019
National Preparedness Month (NPM) hits September 1, and has a slight head start, with a new strategy from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help improve coordinated efforts and effectiveness of risk management actions that would avoid, reduce, or transfer risks from natural hazards – including severe weather—across sectors. The National Mitigation Investment Strategy......