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. Read past articles from This Week in Washington at www.asce.org/pressroom/news/grwk/index.cfm.

Inside This Week:

• Stimulus Package Still In Flux
• Senate Passes Aviation Security Bill
• Education Bills Nearing Completion
• Railroad Security Legislation Passed With No Amendments
• Administration Supports Clean-Coal Technology Projects
• Winter Heating Bills To Be Lower, Says DOE
• State Government Relations Update

1. Stimulus Package Still In Flux

The Capitol Hill anthrax scare forced a halt in consideration of the economic stimulus package this week--but key senators continued meeting in an effort to pave the way for a plan that can be enacted.

The House and Senate are continuing the debate on the final size and make-up of an economic stimulus package. The House version (H.R. 3090) was slated for a floor vote on Thursday, but will now be considered next week. Its $99.5 billion price tag has eroded the bi-partisan spirit on Capitol Hill. President Bush has indicated that he would prefer a smaller bill, in the $75 billion range as he first proposed. Democrats have complained that the House bill is heavy on tax cuts and light on spending to create jobs and get the economy moving.

House Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt (D-MO) is urging Democrats to get behind a proposal to spend $50 billion on roads, airports and railroads in the name of economic stimulus. James L. Oberstar (D-MN) ranking Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said the proposal drew a cool reaction from Republicans, but he nonetheless expected some GOP support for more highway spending.

The Democratic bill would direct the Transportation Department to give priority to projects aimed at protecting infrastructure from terrorist attacks, including the installation of surveillance cameras and protective barriers. In addition, Oberstar said the bill would give priority to projects that can be put out to bid and initiated within three months of enactment. Senate GOP and Democratic aides confirmed that Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman James M. Jeffords (I-VT) is working on a different infrastructure proposal, one that he intends to try to insert into the economic stimulus package.

The Senate version of the bill is likely to be in the $60-75 billion range and would not contain several of the controversial tax-cuts included in the House bill. Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, is putting together several options. He said his first priority is to put people to work, and that his second priority is to improve the nation’s defenses against terrorism.

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND) has indicated that infrastructure projects could be included in the package. He noted however, only those where money could be spent in the next six months would qualify.

2. Senate Passes Aviation Security Bill

On October 11, the Senate passed, by a vote of 100-0, S. 1447, the Aviation Security Act. The Senate stripped all of the non-germane language, including aid to displaced workers, from the bill. The bill would federalize airport baggage screeners, and allow pilots to be armed. The bill would impose a $2.50 per passenger, per enplanement fee to offset the additional costs. House action is expected soon.

Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Department are taking a number of steps-including creation of a $20 million grant program to improve aircraft security and quicker implementation standards for airport screeners--to increase aviation security in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, FAA Administrator Jane Garvey said Wednesday.

While Congress will probably continue to debate federalization of airport screeners for some time, Garvey said the most important thing is "strong and increased federal management and federal control" of screeners.

3. Education Bills Nearing Completion

The House Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions are nearing completion of a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The President submitted his budget reflecting his proposals for the reauthorization. The Committee has provided funding for programs included in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization under the structure outlined in H.R. 1 as passed by the House.

The bill includes $3.2 billion for state grants for improving teacher quality, which is $575 million above the budget request. This new program consolidates the Eisenhower professional development program and the class size reduction program. States are authorized to retain 5 percent of funds for state activities, including reforming teacher certification, re-certification or licensure requirements; expanding, establishing or improving alternative routes to state certification; carrying out programs that include support during the initial teaching and leadership experience, such as mentoring programs; assisting school districts in effectively recruiting and retaining highly qualified and effective teachers and principals; reforming tenure systems; and developing professional development programs for principals.

4. Railroad Security Legislation Passed With No Amendments

The Senate Commerce Committee unanimously passed a $1.7 billion railroad security measure today without any changes. Committee members had hoped to add as many as 19 amendments to the bill, and several indicated that they will be offered on the Senate floor instead. Sen. John Breaux, (D-LA), quipped: "With all these amendments just from committee members, it looks like we're headed for a markup on the floor. It'll be a long day on the railroad." Senate Commerce Chairman Ernest Hollings (D-SC) noted that a separate railroad improvement bill has been introduced in the Senate, and he said that many of the amendments could be added to that measure.

5. Administration Supports Clean-Coal Technology Projects

Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said on October 17 that the Department of Energy has approved more than $110 million in new projects to apply leading edge clean coal technologies to improve the reliability and environmental performance of the nation's coal-burning power plants.

Abraham announced that the federal government will share the costs of outfitting eight power plants to become "showcases" of ways coal plants can continue generating low-cost electricity with better performance and in compliance with tight environmental standards.

More than 600 coal-burning generators account for more than half the electricity Americans consume.

6. Winter Heating Bills To Be Lower, Says DOE

This winter is expected to bring lower heating bills than those seen last winter, according to forecasts released by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the Department of Energy in the October Short-Term Energy Outlook and "Winter Fuels Outlook: 2001/2002." Assuming normal weather, winter heating bills for residential consumers could average from $170 to $320 lower than last winter, the EIA said this week.

7. 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.

North Carolina
ASCE wishes to thank our many members in North Carolina who have taken the time to contact their state legislators about H.B. 623 and let ASCE National know of their actions. Your efforts are paying off as the House Rules Committee on Tuesday, October 16, again declined to send the bill to the house floor for a vote. The bill has not been defeated yet, but your work on this issue has made victory much more likely.