February 05, 2019
The following is a statement by Robin A. Kemper, PE, President, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) on President Trump’s State of the Union address to Congress on February 5, 2019: “We appreciate that the President identified infrastructure as one of his top priorities for legislative action this year, and indicated that it is not......
New Report Affirms Higher Gas Tax is Needed to Restore Our Interstates
December 07, 2018
On Thursday, December 6, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Committee for a Study of the Future Interstate Highway System, and the Transportation Research Board (TRB) released a congressionally mandated report, “Renewing the National Commitment to the Interstate Highway System: A Foundation for the Future.” Norman R. Augustine, formerly of Lockheed Martin Corporation,......
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......
Disaster Recovery Reform Act headed to the President
October 05, 2018
ASCE and our colleagues in the BuildStrong Coalition are pleased to acknowledge the October 3rd Senate passage of the bipartisan Disaster Recovery Reform Act (DRRA as part of H.R. 302, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2018. The bill will now go to the president’s desk, where it is expected to be signed......
September 14, 2018
Today, the House of Representatives passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2018, S. 3021. The passage of this bill authorizes key programs and projects that are critical to improving our nation’s water-related infrastructure categories. The 2017 Infrastructure Report Card graded each of these categories; ports received a grade of “C+,” while dams, levees,......
Chairman Shuster Releases Infrastructure Proposal
July 25, 2018
This week, U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) released his long-awaited infrastructure discussion draft. Key components of the plan include fixing the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), investing in transportation and water resources infrastructure, financing innovative projects, and accelerating project delivery. The plan also calls for an increase of 15 cents per......
Congress Prepares for WRDA Floor Debate
June 06, 2018
The Senate is expected to vote on S.2800, America’s Water Infrastructure Act, or the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), in the coming weeks after about six months of Committee work, drafting, and negotiation. WRDA proposes continued American investment into infrastructure like dams, levees, and ports. If approved, WRDA will authorize water programs vital to American......
Congress Tackles FY2019 Budget
April 13, 2018
This week, Congress had a busy schedule of hearings on the President’s Fiscal Year 2019 agency-by-agency budget requests. The House Committee on Appropriations held 19 hearings this week, while the Senate Committee on Appropriations held five hearings. Administration officials from across the federal agencies testified at hearings on the President’s FY19 budget request, including at those for......
Civil Engineers Advocate for Infrastructure on Capitol Hill
March 16, 2018
Infrastructure has been a “buzzy” topic around Washington as of late, and this week ASCE members added their voices to the conversation by making in-person hill meetings to share the Society’s views on infrastructure investment, including FAA reauthorization, the 2018 WRDA bill, and the SRF WIN Act, with federal lawmakers. These visits came at an......
Fix the Federal Budget Process to Help Improve America’s Infrastructure
March 01, 2018
By Brian Pallasch, Managing Director, Government Relations and Infrastructure Initiatives, American Society of Civil Engineers For decades, Congress has repeatedly failed to pass a budget on time, speeding toward budget deadlines as if we have miles of roadway ahead of us, when in reality, we’re laying down roadway as we are driving over it. This......