The Week Ending May 12, 2000
This weekly report is written by ASCE's Government Relations staff. If you have questions or comments about any items in this report, please contact Brian Pallasch, Michael Charles, Martin Hight, Austin Fulk, or Liz Hermsen at 202/789-2200.
Inside This Week:
Transportation Spending Bill Passes House Subcommittee
The House Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee on May 8 passed a $52.2 billion Fiscal Year 2001 spending bill. The legislation provides $29.7 billion from the Highway Trust Fund for road projects and nearly $12 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration with almost half coming from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund. Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee Chair Frank Wolf (R-VA) highlighted the legislation's call to fully fund the highway and aviation programs, as prescribed by the 1998 "Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century" (TEA-21) and the recent "Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century" (AIR-21). The bill also includes $6.3 billion for transit, an increase of $486 million from the FY 2000 spending level. Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Martin Sabo (D-MN) also praised the bill saying it is "one of the best works in progress we could have."
House Leadership Unveils High-Tech Policy Agenda
House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) and House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-TX) on May 10 unveiled their eContract 2000, the Republican leadership's high-tech policy agenda. More information about the eContract 2000 is available on the web at http://www.freedom.gov/econtract. ASCE supports the eContract item promoting basic research and development, but opposes a provision supporting the increase of H1B visas, which are issued to foreign workers in technical fields to compensate for what supporters say are shortages of qualified workers.
Congressman Lamar Smith (R-TX) previously introduced legislation, H.R. 4227 "Technology Worker Temporary Relief Act," which would increase the number of skilled temporary foreign workers permitted in the U.S., by 45,000, to 160,000 for the year 2000. The White House has also put forth a proposal to increase H1B visa caps to 200,000. ASCE, along with others in the engineering and technology community, has expressed concerns about increasing H1B visa caps. In a Resolution recently adopted by the ASCE Board of Direction, ASCE expressed, among other concerns, that the easy availability of guest-workers reduces incentives for employers to hire U.S. workers and to invest in education and training. The Resolution urges Congress to delay consideration of expanding the cap limits until the National Research Council completes its study.
ASCE Sends Key Alert on Small Watershed Dam rehabilitation
ASCE yesterday sent a Key Alert regarding H.R. 728, "The Small Watershed Rehabilitation Amendments of 1999."
The Alert is available on ASCE's web site at ka0500_watersheddams.cfm. The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on H.R. 728 the week of May 15. Thanks to those members who have already contacted their Representatives in support of H.R. 728. Next week, the Senate Agriculture Committee is also expected to take quick action on its own similar version of the bill, S. 1762, "The Small Watershed Rehabilitation Act of 1999," and then send it to the full Senate for its consideration.
