Infrastructure Spending Bills Moves Through the Senate
August 03, 2018
This week, the U.S. Senate passed their second Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 “minibus” spending package by a vote of 92-6. This legislation combined the following appropriations bill: Interior & Environment (S. 3073); Financial Services (S. 3107); Transportation, Housing & Urban Development (THUD)(S. 3023); and Agriculture & Federal Drug Administration (S. 2976). The House passed a......
ASCE Participates in NCSL Legislative Summit in Los Angeles
August 03, 2018
ASCE participated this week in the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) annual Legislative Summit. Approximately 5,500 state legislators, legislative staff, decision-makers, and others attended the meeting to hear from experts and fellow legislators about policy challenges we face today and solutions to these challenges. ASCE exhibited at the 2018 Legislative Summit, and several volunteers from ASCE’s......
Trump Administration’s Reorganization Plan
June 28, 2018
This week, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform examined the Trump Administration’s government-wide reorganization plan and shared thoughts and ideas about the proposals, which included infrastructure-related issues. The proposal is still in its early stages and will require congressional approval for any changes to occur. Margaret Weichert, Deputy Director......
Kansas’ Infrastructure GPA Jumps, but Challenges Remain
June 19, 2018
In Kansas City, Kansas today the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) released the 2018 Report Card for Kansas’ Infrastructure. The ASCE Kansas City and Kansas Sections gave the state an overall grade of a ‘C,’ an increase from the 2013 grade of “C-.” Five categories earned “C” grades: Bridges, Drinking Water, Energy, Levees, and......
Preparing Infrastructure for Autonomous Vehicles
June 14, 2018
On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works held a hearing entitled “Innovation and America’s Infrastructure: Examining the Effects of Emerging Autonomous Technologies on America’s Roads and Bridges.” The hearing explored questions regarding the feasibility and importance of autonomous technologies as it relates to infrastructure. The Senators’ questions were fielded by a......
NEHRP Reauthorization: ASCE Members Testify in Huntington Beach
June 01, 2018
Nearly a decade after it’s authorization expired, Congress may finally be getting around to reauthorizing the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP). The Senate made the first move last fall with the introduction by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) of the S.1768 – NEHRP Reauthorization Act. The bill would reauthorize the program......
Water Resources Development Acts Move Through House & Senate Committees
May 24, 2018
Both the Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works (EPW) and the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) held mark-up hearings this week for its respective WRDA bills. Two weeks ago, ASCE President Kristina Swallow testified at the Senate EPW Committee’s first hearing on the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018. ASCE sent the......
Infrastructure Week: It’s #TimetoBuild
May 18, 2018
ASCE members and leadership were out in force during the sixth annual Infrastructure Week, held this year from May 14-21. Sections, branches, and members convened events, organized state legislative drive-ins, and participated in panels around the country. The national week of events, media coverage, education and issue advocacy, is designed to elevate infrastructure as a......
The Fiscal Year 2019 Appropriations Process Begins
May 17, 2018
The spring weather in our nation’s capital has ushered in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 appropriations season, and it’s warming up quickly here on Capitol Hill (both the weather and the appropriations!). In anticipation of the FY19 appropriations process, ASCE sent funding request letters to several House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees, including the: House and......
ASCE President, Kristina Swallow, Testifies Before Senate EPW Committee
May 10, 2018
On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) held a hearing entitled, “Legislative Hearing on America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018” about the importance of long-term, strategic investment in America’s water resources systems. Kristina Swallow, President of ASCE, testified before the Committee along with four other champions of water infrastructure: Pat......