This Week in Washington

This weekly report is written by the American Society of Civil Engineers’ 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 Nora Smith at 202/789-2200 or by e-mail at ( govwash@asce.org ). To read past articles from This Week in Washington go to ( www.asce.org/pressroom/news/grwk/index.cfm ).

Inside This Week:

• Congress Unites During Emergency as Priorities Change
• Airline Bailout Bills Planned by Congress
• ASCE Supports Modified Plan to Preserve Critical Wetlands
• Free Breakfast in Houston for Key Contact Members
• State Government Relations Update

1. Congress Unites During Emergency as Priorities Change

Congress has sharply reduced partisan squabbles and is united behind a declaration of outrage and resolves to strike back against those responsible for the unprecedented terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11. Congressional leaders from both parties say they want to send a message to the world that the seat of American democracy will not be scared shut by terrorism.

The attacks have also reshaped the national agenda significantly. Leaders of both parties, who recently were sniping at each other over taxes, spending and missile defenses, joined last week in sponsoring a resolution condemning the attacks and vowing support for President Bush and his "determination . . . to punish the perpetrators of these attacks as well as their sponsors."

Congress has abandoned its fixation on Social Security "lock boxes," infrastructure rebuilding efforts and other budgetary restraints and has promised to give the president whatever is needed to cope with the emergency. "We are functionally at war, and we are going to do whatever it takes to defend the country," said Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND).

2. Airline Bailout Bills Planned by Congress

In the wake of the events of last week and the impact on the aviation industry, Congress is expected to move quickly to pass legislation to assist the airlines. The White House is pushing for the aid as is airline and labor executives, many of who appeared on Capitol Hill, Wednesday and Thursday.

In an effort to limit the size and scope of the airline assistance package, U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) said Wednesday that it would have two parts--one to give immediate assistance, and another to deal with issues such as security and liability concerns. While he would not address specifics, other members have estimated that the first package would be in the range of $17.5 billion. It would include about $5 billion in direct aid and $12.5 billion in loan guarantees to ensure the airlines would not go bankrupt.

Hastert said Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta would present a package by Oct. 1 to beef up security at airports and address airlines' concerns about being held liable for damage to buildings and casualties on the ground.

Although no final decisions have been made, sources have indicated that the funds probably would not come from the $40 billion emergency supplemental Congress passed last week. It remains to be seen how broad support will be for the plan. Airlines, labor groups and the cargo industry are looking for additional relief in the initial package. One proposal being floated is that the money could come from diverting funds from the Aviation Trust Fund. This money is collected from the ticket tax and dedicated for airport infrastructure projects.

3. ASCE Supports Modified Plan to Preserve Critical Wetlands

ASCE has urged passage of a bill that would establish a formal wetlands mitigation banking program to reduce further the destruction of key ecosystems. In a statement submitted to the House subcommittee on water resources and the environment on September 20, ASCE said Congress ought to consider ways to establish priorities for the protection of critical wetlands functions. The statement was submitted in support of H.R. 1474, the American Wetlands Restoration Act.

"H.R. 1474 would codify existing federal policy on mitigation banking for wetlands. We recommend the passage of H.R. 1474, with modifications. Specifically we recommend that the bill be amended to reflect that some mitigation banking programs have not been implemented effectively, thus undermining the policy of 'no net loss' of wetlands," ASCE said.

"We also believe that wetlands restoration programs themselves, whether through banking or other legal mechanisms, may not be the first-best policy choice with respect to ecosystem protections in the case of ecologically unique wetlands. The nation should adopt a 'preservation ethic' for especially sensitive or valuable wetlands systems."

For the complete statement, go to www.asce.org/pressroom/publicpolicy/inside_congtest.cfm.

4. Free Breakfast in Houston for Key Contact Members

Will you be attending the 2001 Civil Engineering Conference and Exposition in Houston? If so, we'd like to buy you breakfast to say Thank You for all you do for ASCE's Government Relations program. On Thursday, October 11 from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., members of ASCE’s Key Contact Program are invited to learn more about the accomplishments of the 107th Congress and how to make the most of the Key Contact Program. Representatives John Culberson (R-TX) and Ken Bentsen (D-TX) have been invited to be the keynote speakers.

ASCE’s Key Contact Program provides members with the opportunity to help shape public policy in areas that affect the civil engineering profession. This breakfast is offered free of charge to Key Contact Program members by the ASCE Government Relations Department. Advance registration is required. You must RSVP, so please contact Nora Smith, at (202) 789-2200 or nsmith@asce.org to reserve your seat or to learn more about the Key Contact Program.

5. State Government Relations Update

ASCE provides updates on individual state government matters affecting civil engineers. For more information on the following item(s), or any other state government relations matters, please contact Austin Fulk, ASCE’s Manager of State Government Relations, at (202) 789-2200 or via e-mail at afulk@asce.org

State Legislative Update
The following bills were recently introduced in state legislatures across the country. If you have questions about particular legislation, please contact Austin Fulk. These bills affect the civil engineering profession, but ASCE National has not taken a position on them unless otherwise noted.

Alabama
ASCE wishes to thank the members of ASCE's Alabama Section who took the time to write their state legislators and copy ASCE National about two bills, H.B. 52 and S.B. 18, which would have potentially repealed Alabama's QBS procurement laws if they had passed.

Jim Carns
Clyde Chambliss
Thomas Grimes
Guy Johnson
Chris Latham
Charles Munden
Raymond Powell
Jeff Redmill
Matthew Steen
W. Robert Thompson

Thanks to the efforts of these ASCE members and others, the legislature adjourned without taking any action on either of these bills. If you also wrote to your legislators about these bills, please send a copy to ASCE and we will give you the recognition you deserve.

California
A.B. 61 would allow private, not-for-profit water companies to be eligible for grants and loans from the Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for project design and construction costs.

North Carolina
Engineers in North Carolina were successful in stopping an attempt to greatly expand the scope of practice allowed to landscape architects. H.B. 623, an overhaul of the state's public construction laws, was amended to include the landscape architect provision but was subsequently stalled. Thanks to ASCE-North Carolina for an excellent job in stopping this bill.