The Panama Canal Expansion and Commerce
April 10, 2013
The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held a hearing this afternoon on the expansion of the Panama Canal and the effects that the expansion will have on freight movement in the United States. The issue is one that ASCE has been discussing in depth over the past few months, because the economic impacts could......
Obama Expands on Infrastructure Plans
April 08, 2013
President Obama used ASCE’s 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure several weeks ago at the Port of Miami to make a renewed push for increased infrastructure investment. The President has been pushing for a more complete set of infrastructure proposals for years and even included the message in his State of the Union this past......
House and Senate Pass Budget Resolutions for 2014
April 02, 2013
The Senate passed a budget resolution for the first time in four years on March 23 that calls for reducing the federal deficit by $1.85 trillion over 10 years. The Senate also approved provisions in the resolution for Fiscal year 2014 that would restore the $85 billion cut from the Fiscal Year 2013 budget under......
Sections and Branches Lead the Way on the 2013 Report Card
March 29, 2013
This March, ASCE released the 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure in a brand new format as a tablet and smart phone app during the annual Congressional Fly-In. ASCE members from all 50 states participated in taking the infrastructure message to Capitol Hill and shared the Report Card with their Members of Congress. Members have......
ASCE State Sections Continue Legislative Efforts
March 29, 2013
We are highlighting two states that have made a legislative push in the last week: New York and Maryland. ASCE issued a Key Alert this week to members in New York asking them to contact legislators in support of SB 3942 which would protect engineers from legal liability when they are performing pro bono services......
DeFazio Tackles the Eternal Question…How to Fund the Highway Trust Fund?
March 27, 2013
With each passing day we are getting closer to September 30, 2014, the day when MAP-21, the legislation funding surface transportation programs, will expire. Therefore, even though Congress just passed a surface transportation bill last summer, work already must be underway on the next bill. However, before Congress can pass another surface transportation reauthorization, a......
March 19, 2013
The new ASCE 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure is now available at www.infrastructurereportcard.org and as a tablet and phone app on the iTunes and Google Play stores. Every four years, ASCE issues the Report Card which evaluates conditions and investment needs for major sectors of infrastructure — including roads, bridges, drinking water systems, ports,......
Vermont Section Supporting Transportation Funding Plan
March 15, 2013
ASCE’s Vermont Section has been active over the last week in support of a proposed transportation funding plan that includes an increase in the state’s gas tax. The Section sent a letter last week to the Governor, legislative leaders and members of the House and Senate Transportation Committees in support. Additionally, ASCE has issued a......
Continuing Resolution Puts Transportation Funds At Risk
March 11, 2013
Congress will need to pass another continuing resolution (CR) before March 27 to keep the federal government funded. The House last week passed a continuing resolution which shorts transportation programs by more than $700 million. The House CR does not incorporate the carefully achieved consensus on transportation funding found in MAP-21. These cuts from MAP-21......
Another Win for ASCE State Legislative Efforts
March 01, 2013
Last week we highlighted a win for ASCE in Wisconsin and brought up the possibility of success in Virginia. Well, last Saturday, February 23, the Virginia General Assembly ended it’s annual session with passage of a sweeping transportation deal. On the last day of the session, the Senate gave its blessing to a plan that......