Lobster To Rule At Local Color Night; Additional Fall Conference Hotel Added Imagine the succulent aroma of enough fresh Maine lobster to serve hundreds, surrounded by mountains of scrumptious steamer clams, mussels and other delectable trimmings such as roasted potatoes and corn on the cob. All savored amid the charming setting of Maine's Casco Bay. That's the true Down East Lobster Bake experience, an exclusive Local Color Night event for members and guests who attend ACEC's upcoming Fall Conference September 29-October 2 in Portland, Maine. Other Conference highlights include the highly anticipated political debate between William Bennett and Howard Dean; a captivating speech by Coast Guard Captain Larry Brudnicki on "The Perfect Storm"; and more than 30 educational sessions on priority business management topics. The Sheraton South Portland Hotel has been added to the list of accommodations for the Conference. Click here to make online reservations or call the hotel directly at 207-775-6161. Mention you are with ACEC to get the special rate of $139 single/double occupancy. Hurry, the cut off date for all hotel reservations is Friday, September 3. After this date, rooms may not be available or may be at a higher rate. Click here or call 202-347-7474 for further Conference information.

Chairman's Club Rallies For Rep. Sessions From left to right: Congressman Tom Reynolds (R-NY), ACEC/PAC Vice-Chairman and Chairman's Club member Bob Jones, ACEC/PAC Director Jenny Sheffield, and Congressman Pete Sessions (R-TX) at the Chairman's Club fundraiser in Dallas. ACEC/PAC's Chairman's Club hosted a successful fundraiser last week to support the re-election of Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX). The Texas lawmaker has been a leader in Congress on behalf of ACEC priorities including "competitive sourcing" and other initiatives to open contracting opportunities to the private sector. Sessions faces a tough re-election battle in November against a senior and well-funded opponent, Rep. Martin Frost (D-TX). The event also featured an appearance by Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-NY), a rising star in Congress and chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. Both lawmakers thanked ACEC members present for their political activism, and underscored the importance of engaging in the political process through ACEC/PAC. "This was an ideal opportunity to support a real friend in Congress," said Executive Committee Vice-Chairman and Chairman's Club member Tom Burke, "as well as to engage two leaders in Congress on key issues of importance to the industry. It's another example of how the Chairman's Club has added a new dimension to ACEC's advocacy program." For more information on ACEC/PAC and the Chairman's Club, contact ACEC/PAC Director Jenny Sheffield at (202) 347-7474 or jsheffield@acec.org.

New Overtime Rules Take Effect Aug. 23; FLSA Summary For Members Now Available New changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) take effect August 23, and ACEC members are encouraged to review the new rules. Click here for a summary of the new rules specifically prepared for ACEC members. For additional information and to access the Department of Labor's website on the new regulations, click here. ACEC is also planning an education session at the Fall Conference in Portland, Maine on the new regulations featuring Jason Schwartz of the law firm of Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher. The session is scheduled for Friday, October 1 from 2:15pm–3:30pm. For more information and to register for the Fall Conference, click here.

House Appropriations Bill Proposes $1 Billion More in Highway Spending As progress on the six-year TEA-21 reauthorization bill continues to inch along, the House Appropriations Committee last month cleared a F.Y. '05 spending bill for the Departments of Transportation and the Treasury. The bill funds highways at $34.6 billion—the level equal to the F.Y. '05 authorization included in the House TEA-21 reauthorization proposal (H.R. 3550, TEA LU). This represents a $1 billion increase over the F.Y. '04 level. The measure provides $7.2 billion for transit (a $16 million reduction from F.Y. '04), while funding for airport projects was increased to $3.5 billion, from $3.38 billion in F.Y. '04. Amtrak is funded at $900 million—$317 million less than the $1.2 billion provided in F.Y. '04. The House is expected to take up the measure when it returns in September. The Senate has yet to act on their proposal, and it is questionable whether Congress will complete work on this and other spending bills before the target adjournment date in October. Congress may complete work on individual spending bills, or package several together into an "omnibus" bill, possibly during a special session after Election Day.

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