Advocacy / Infrastructure Funding
June 19, 2020
House Committee Approves Transportation Bill; ACEC Defeats Harmful Insourcing Amendments
The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee approved on Thursday the INVEST in America Act, the five-year, $494 billion reauthorization of federal highway, transit, and rail programs.
During the mark-up of the bill, ACEC worked to oppose two problematic amendments filed by Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA) that would limit the ability of State Departments of Transportation to partner with private sector firms. One amendment would have mandated a cost-benefit analysis before contracting out any engineering or design services project more than $100,000. A second amendment would require that only public sector employees perform construction inspections and limit the ability to use private firms for those services. ACEC communicated strong objections to both amendments, and rallied ACEC Member Organizations and Member Firms to reach out to their representatives on the committee to explain how disruptive these policies would be for agencies and firms. Both amendments were withdrawn.
ACEC supports committee passage of the bill, which will be the centerpiece of a broader infrastructure package to be considered by the full House the week of June 29.
Click here to view a letter from ACEC President Linda Bauer Darr outlining the Council’s views on the bill and the Garamendi amendments.
ACEC member firm representatives are encouraged to continue to use the R3 advocacy website to contact their Members of Congress and Senators in support of an infrastructure-based economic recovery agenda.
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