As 2023 ends, the ASCE government relations team wants to thank our members for their hard work and advocacy for advancing the civil engineering profession and improving American infrastructure.
ASCE Legislative Fly-in meeting, day one, in Washington, DC, Wednesday, March 1, 2023. (Photo by Cliff Owen)
This year, ASCE members helped shape policy at the local, state, and federal levels, sending more than 1,200 messages to 492 lawmakers at all levels of government to help address some of ASCE’s priority issues. ASCE members advocated for our top priorities with members of Congress, both in-person and online. Last March during the Legislative Fly-In, members held 258 meetings with congressional offices. These meetings made Members of Congress aware of ASCE’s top legislative priorities for the 118th Congress and helped lawmakers better understand how these priorities impact their constituents and communities. Our inaugural Virtual Day of Action in September led to more than one hundred meetings between ASCE members and congressional offices. Our members talked with their representatives about the importance of American infrastructure funding as lawmakers work through the federal budget appropriations process.
Our Role In the Implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
ASCE Past President Maria Lehman, P.E. attends National Infrastructure Advisory Council at The White House with President Biden
As the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) enters its third year of implementation, ASCE has been at the forefront to ensure all communities see the greatest benefit from the most significant investment in American Infrastructure in a generation. ASCE leadership has a seat at the table with the top leaders in Washington, informing them of the progress. In December, ASCE Past President Maria Lehman, P.E. led a meeting of The President’s National Infrastructure Advisory Council where President Biden joined the meeting, sitting down with council members to discuss the implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and learn how the Administration can work with the private and public sector to advance the nation’s infrastructure strategy. ASCE staff and leadership also participated in several activities during Infrastructure Week in May to highlight some early success stories of the IIJA.
ASCE President Marsia Geldert-Murphey participates in a forum during Infrastructure Week 2023
Workforce challenges are still one of the most critical issues for ASCE members. American infrastructure investment means more workers are needed for businesses and government agencies designing and building infrastructure projects funded by the IIJA and other sources. ASCE partnered with the National Governors Association to write “Strategies to Address Engineering Workforce Challenges” to help public and private employers find solutions to challenges they face to retain, recruit, and grow the infrastructure workforce.
Advancing Community Resiliency
Advocating for resiliency in the built environment has been another focus for ASCE. In June, ASCE released a new toolkit, “Pathways to Resilient Communities.” This document informs decision-makers about ASCE’s tools and resources to better understand the hazards their communities face. ASCE’s standards and manuals of practice can help leaders implement modern codes and build to withstand increasing threats from extreme weather events. In September, ASCE also held a congressional briefing, “Making Our Infrastructure Future-Ready: Modern building standards to support resilient communities” to inform decision-makers about the benefits of more resilient infrastructure.
Members of the Vermont Section of ASCE present the 2023 Report Card for Vermont’s Infrastructure
More Data Equals More Solutions
Four ASCE state sections released a report card this past year: Wyoming in January, Vermont in February, Iowa in April, and Michigan in May. State report cards are an invaluable resource for advocacy efforts. For lawmakers, it’s a reliable data source with specific examples and solutions of how to pass legislation and funding to positively impact their constituents and communities. It’s often cited by staffers and state officials and is a well-respected, easy-to-use resource. Members in several states are also in the final stages of preparing report cards for release in 2024.
Advocating for American Infrastructure: A Look Forward to 2024
Looking forward, we’re focused on more critical infrastructure legislation that would improve the health, safety and welfare of the American public. When Congress returns in January, we’ll be there to champion top legislative priorities like FAA Reauthorization and the National Dam Safety Program to the finish line. In the spring, ASCE will release a highly-anticipated new economic study which will help us better understand how the IIJA is impacting the infrastructure investment gap. The Committee on America’s Infrastructure is also at work compiling information and writing the 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, which is set for release in Spring of 2025.
As we prepare for a busy year ahead, we want to thank our members for all they did to help advocate for civil engineering and America’s infrastructure in 2023 and look forward to seeing what we achieve together in 2024!
