ACEC News / Advocacy
June 3, 2020
ACEC’s Hall on Council’s Virtual Advocacy Campaign: “Take Action to Keep the Pressure On”
By Steve Hall
Since we launched the Rescue / Recover / Rebuild virtual advocacy campaign in late April, our members have delivered 6,500 letters, emails, and social media messages to Capitol Hill and hosted virtual meetings with scores of lawmakers centered on an infrastructure-first recovery agenda.
The message delivered by our members is simple: Congress has an opportunity to make long-term investments in America’s critical infrastructure to address years of deferred maintenance, while modernizing our transportation networks and water systems, as well as promoting the development of energy and vertical markets to lay the groundwork for a post COVID-19 economic renewal.
The driver of this national infrastructure-based recovery agenda will be a multi-year reauthorization of the nation’s surface transportation law – the FAST Act – with sustainable and growing revenues to support critical highway and transit projects. The release of House Democrats’ reauthorization bill today is an important step toward those objectives.
I want to thank everyone in the ACEC community who has taken part in the advocacy campaign so far. Today’s roll-out by the House is proof that our efforts are having an effect. At the same time, we must keep in mind that we’re early in the process. It’s time to redouble our efforts to educate Members of Congress about how our industry can improve America through robust infrastructure investment. If you haven’t sent a letter, please do so here. Contact Dave Bender to help set up a virtual meeting with your representative or Senator. Send a tweet. Take action to keep the pressure on.
Engineers are problem solvers. Our member firms continuously demonstrate their ability to apply unique thinking to complex challenges. There is no limit to what we can accomplish together – as engineers and as Americans.
Steve Hall is ACEC Senior Vice President Advocacy.
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