In the hustle and bustle of everyday professional life, you may not always have a chance to stay up-to-date on the critical national issues affecting civil engineers, much less be in a position to impact Congress. The ASCE Key Contact Program provides you with the opportunity to get involved in the Congressional debate. Moreover, it’s easy to join and participate.
ASCE Key Contacts generally receive 6 Key Alerts annually, which contain timely information on important civil engineering issues and advice on how to best influence the legislative process. The Key Alert contains all the information necessary for composing a convincing letter to your Member of Congress. Key Alerts are also time sensitive, so when you receive one, you know it is the best possible time to act. An issue may be at a critical juncture, your Representative is focusing on it, and he or she needs to hear from informed constituents like yourself. Your letter at the right time, can make the difference.
How effective is the Key Contact Program? It can be quite effective. During the 105th Congress, ASCE’s Key Contacts made their voices heard on numerous issues, including the Airport Trust Fund, federal investment in civilian research and development, surface transportation, tax-exempt educational assistance, and the national dam safety program. Many of these legislative successes were achieved through the grassroots efforts of civil engineers in the Key Contact Program. We expect to repeat our successes in 2001, and look forward to continued support from Key Contacts. Over 13,000 ASCE members have joined the Key Contact Program.
In addition to Key Alerts, Key Contacts receive occasional Keynotes, which summarize Congressional activity on various issues.
A final note - our recruiting effort is a continuous one. To become a Key Contact participant, simply submit the following completed enrollment form, or fill out and mail a Key Contact enrollment card, or send your name and address to the Key Contact Program at the Washington, D.C., address. After you sign up, encourage your colleagues to participate in this worthwhile program. For more information on the Key Contact Program or specific legislation, contact the Government Relations staff at govwash@asce.org, or call 202/789-2200.
