ACEC/PAC Candidates Score Big on
Tuesday This election cycle, ACEC focused its PAC contributions on supporting
pro-business candidates, and a number of ACEC-supported candidates were
successful at the polls. ACEC/PAC focused the largest amount ever on races that had been deemed
by the experts as "too close to call." Victorious ACEC candidates include
the following: Don Sherwood (R-PA); a major supporter of our Corps of
Engineers language; Pete Sessions (R-TX), the sponsor of the FAIR act and
one of the most important members on government competition; Robin Hayes
(R-NC); Felix Grucci (R-NY); and Heather Wilson (R-NM). In the Senate races, ACEC/PAC was happy to see Sen. Lincoln Chafee
(R-RI), former Gov. George Allen (R-VA), John Ensign (R-NV), and former
Gov. Ben Nelson (D-NE) win their close races. Unfortunately, ACEC lost several very good friends and supporters with
the loss of Senators Ashcroft and Abraham. Overall, House candidates
supported by ACEC/PAC achieved an 88% election success rate
while Senate candidates supported by the ACEC/PAC achieved a success rate
of 77%. For a complete listing of who ACEC/PAC contributed to in this election
and how they fared, refer to the accompanying table. Since the 1998
election cycle, ACEC has increased its visibility in Washington by
increasing its PAC disbursements by $100,000. In this election cycle, ACEC has given over $300,000 to candidates and
incumbents and is now ranked among the 500 biggest PACs in America
TRAC Legislation Loses Sponsors in Election
The federal anti-contracting out bill, titled "Truthfulness, Responsibility and Accountability in Contracting Act" (TRAC), lost its Senate sponsor in this election. Chuck Robb (D-VA) was defeated by George Allen (R-VA). Allen is a long-time proponent of contracting out, and ACEC worked closely with him during the elections to educate his staff on the importance of opposing Robb on the TRAC bill.
Among the House co-sponsors that lost are Sam Gejdenson, Rush Holt, and Michael Forbes. Overall, the House lost eight co-sponsors, and the Senate lost two, but the bill is expected to be reintroduced in the next Congress.
Special Election Issue
Big Win on 'Prop 35' !
Proposition 35 wins with 55% of the vote, as California voters show overwhelming support for the initiative to amend the state constitution to expressly permit public agencies to contract out design work to the private sector.
"This is a great day for our industry. It shows what we can do when we
all pull together," said Tom O'Neill, Chairman of Parsons Brinckerhoff and
Chairman of the Design Professionals Coalition.
Complementing
CELSOC's magnificent effort, ACEC firms and member organizations across
the nation fought hard alongside their California colleagues with
substantial financial assistance and human resources.
ACEC's National Directors aggressively supported the Prop 35 effort at their recent Board meeting with a $750,000-contribution, supplementing previous contributions by ACEC and allied organizations. The total Prop 35 campaign represented a $14.5-million collaboration by our industry.
ACEC's leadership has made government competition its number one political target. Executive VP Dave Raymond said, "This hard-won battle is part of our continuing nationwide struggle to overcome government competition and ensure a healthy market for our businesses."
Another Win-WRDA Funding Passes; Restricts COE "Mission Creep"
Congress passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2000 in the last days of the 106th Congress. The measure provides more than $7 billion for construction projects and feasibility studies by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE), including a $1.2-billion first installment on a 36-year plan to restore the Florida Everglades. The bill authorizes a total of 28 water resources development projects across the United States.
The bill contains ACEC's language that restricts the Corps' anti-competitive activities through an oversight process the agency must follow in order to justify utilization of its resources beyond its mission. The language provides that if the Corps wants to "provide specialized or technical services to a Federal agency (other than a Department of Defense agency), State, or local government of the United States," the chief executive of the requesting entity must submit to the Secretary of Defense "a certification that includes adequate facts to establish that the services requested are not reasonably and quickly available through ordinary business channels."
The WRDA bill now awaits the President's expected signature.
Anti-growth Proposition Defeated in Arizona
Another ballot outcome influenced by ACEC was Arizona's Proposition 202. It was vigorously opposed by CEC/Arizona with support from ACEC's Legal & Legislative Fund. It was defeated by a 70% vote.
- Reminder: 2001-02 National Committee Applications are Due November 17th-
House Candidates ACEC/PAC Supported
CANDIDATE/ELECTION RESULTS
Armey, Dick (R-TX) WON
Ballenger, Cass (R-NC)
WON
Barton, Joe (R-TX) WON
Berry, Merion (D-AR) WON
Bilbray,
Brian (R-CA) LOST
Bilirakis, Michael (R-FL) WON
Blunt, Roy (R-MO)
WON
Boswell, Leonard (D-IA)WON
Boucher, Rick (D-VA) WON
Burton,
Dan (R-IN) WON
Chabot, Steve (R-OH) WON
Clement, Bob (D-TN)
WON
Condit, Gary (D-CA) WON
Cramer, Bud (D-AL) WON
Cunningham,
Duke (R-CA) WON
Davis, Tom (R-VA) WON
DeLay, Tom (R-TX) WON
Deutsch, Peter (D-FL) WON
Dreier, David (R-CA) WON
Duncan, Jimmy
(R-TN) WON
Dunn, Jennifer (R-WA) WON
Ehrlich, Robert (R-MD)
WON
Ferguson, Mike (R-NJ) WON
Fletcher, Ernest (R-KY) WON
Gephardt, Richard (D-MO) WON
Granger, Kay (R-TX) WON
Grucci,
Felix (R-NY) WON
Hastert, Dennis (R-IL) WON
Hastings, Doc (R-WA)
WON
Hayes, Robin (R-NC) WON
Isakson, John (R-GA) WON
John, Chris
(D-LA) WON
Keller, Ric (R-FL) WO
NKelly, Sue (R-NY) WON
Kerns,
Brian (R-IN) WON
Kuykendall, Steve (R-CA) LOST
Largent, Steve (R-OK)
WON
Lipinski, William (D-IL) WON
McCrery, Jim (R-LA)
WON
McDonald, Dan (R-WA) LOST
McGovern, Jim (D-MA) WON
McIntyre,
Mike (D-NC) WON
Mica, John (R-FL) WON
Moran, Jerry (R-KS)
WON
Nielsen, Mark (R-CT) LOST
Northup, Anne
(R-KY) WON
Oberstar, James (D-MN)
WON
Otter, Butch (R-ID) WON
Oxley, Michael (R-OH) WON
Pence, Mike (R-IN)
WON
Peterson, Collin (D-MN) WON
Petri, Tom (R-WI) WON
Porter, Jon (R-NV)
LOST
Price, David (D-NC) WON
Putnam, Adam (R-FL) WON
Quinn, Jack (R-NY)
WON
Rogan, James (R-CA) LOST
Rothman, Steven (D-NJ) WON
Saxton, James (R-NJ) WON
Schrock, Edward (R-VA) WON
Sessions, Pete
(R-TX) WON
Shaw, Clay (R-FL)
UNDECIDED
Sherwood, Donald (R-PA) WON
Shows,
Ronnie (D-MS) WON
Shuster, Bud (R-PA) WON
Simpson, Mike (R-ID) WON
Smith, Susan Bitter
(R-AZ) LOST
Stoker, Michael (R-CA) LOST
Sublette, Bill (R-FL)
LOST
Tancredo, Tomas (R-CO) WON
Tauscher, Ellen (D-CA) WON
Terry, Lee (R-NE)
WON
Tiberi, Patrick (R-OH) WON
Toomey, Patrick (R-PA) WON
Udall, Tom (D-NM)
WON
Vance, Chris (R-WA) LOST
Visclosky, Peter (D-IN) WON
Vitter, David (R-LA) WON
Walsh,
James (R-NY) WON
Watts, J.C. (R-OK)
WON
Weller, Jerry (R-IL) WON
Wilson, Heather (R-NM) WON
Wolf, Frank
(R-VA) WON
Young, Don (R-AK) WON
Zimmer, Dick (R-NJ)
UNDECIDED
Senate Candidates ACEC/PAC Supported
Abraham, Spence (R-MI) LOST
Allen, George (R-VA)
WON
Ashcroft, John (R-MO) LOST
Burns, Conrad
(R-MT) WON
Byrd, Robert (D-WV) WON
Chafee, Lincoln (R-RI)
WON
Ensign, John (R-NV) WON
Franks, Bob (R-NJ)
LOST
Gorton, Slade (R-WA) UNDECIDED
Grams, Rod (R-MN) LOST
Hatch,
Orrin (R-UT) WON
Jeffords, James (R-VT)
WON
Editor: Francis George (fgeorge@acec.org)
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