Technical Corrections Bill Clears Senate Committee

The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Wednesday approved legislation (H.R. 1195) that makes several technical corrections to the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), PL 109-59.

Of interest to NACA partner Portland Cement Association is the change to the matching funds formula for research and development projects for the High Performance Concrete (HPC) Bridge program.  The legislation would change the funding formula from 50-50 back to the traditional 80-20 funding scheme.  Thus for any HPC project that is jointly funded by Federal Highway Administration and the industry, the industry would need to provide 20 percent of the funding by either cash or in-kind labor support. 

The corrections bill also provides for contract authority to execute the $90 million authorized for the Magnetic Levitation or so-called Maglev program.  This will allow the expenditure of these funds without the need for appropriations language.

The bill now heads to the Senate Floor, after also being approved May 16 by the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, which shares jurisdiction over the legislation.  

H.R. 1195 was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives in March.

Contact John Sullivan or David Hubbard.

The Committee bill provides $5.584 billion for overall Corps functions, $246 million over the FY 2007 level and $713.4 million above the Administration's request.

Of particular interest to NACA members, the legislation appropriates $2.009 billion for construction programs, an increase of $327.5 compared to FY 2007.  The bill also provides $2.655 billion for operations and maintenance to address more than $1 billion backlog in needs. The Committee mark is $681.9 million over the FY 2007 level and $184 million above the Administration's request.

As noted, the appropriators also approved a $27.6 billion FY 2008 Interior-Environment appropriations bill that restores $22 million for the U.S. Geological Survey's MIT.  PCA advocated the restoration of the MIT funds, which were cut from the Administration's FY 2008 budget request.  MIT collects and disseminates, among other types of information, cement shipments data. 

The Committee also approved $1.125 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund, a $437 million increase over the Administration’s budget request. 

Contact David Hubbard or John Sullivan.

The VA would receive funding for:

• Major Construction: $1.4 billion, $683 million above 2007 to fulfill a commitment to fund recommendations made by the Capitol Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) Commission, established to look at facilities and determine their construction needs.
• Extended Care Facilities: $165 million, $80 million above 2007, for grants to states for construction and modification of extended care facilities. The funding level will satisfy all currently identified life and safety needs, while also providing funding for construction of three new facilities.

The military construction program also receives a funding increase largely due to costs associated with Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) and plans to increase the size of the Army and Marine Corps. The bill fully funds BRAC and increases funding for military construction to improve training and quality of life facilities for active duty troops and Members of the Guard and Reserves.  Of particular interest is:

• Military Construction: $21.4 billion, $207 million over the Administration’s request, and $5.1 billion above 2007 (including BRAC in the supplemental). The historic increase is largely due to costs associated with BRAC, as well as plans to increase the size of the Army and Marine Corps.
• Military Housing: $2.9 billion, fully funding the President’s request for military housing, supporting the elimination of a further 13,727 inadequate family housing units.

Contact John Sullivan.

Introduced by Rep. Mark Udall (D-Colo.), H.R. 906 calls for improved coordination of existing federal research on climate change and would establish a new interagency committee linking various climate programs.

The bill also would require the executive branch to improve coordination of federal climate research—now conducted within various agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy—with state efforts.

The Udall bill would revise the current U.S. Global Change Research Program, established under the
U.S. Global Change Research Act of 1990. That law called for research into various climate change efforts and required periodic reports on the potential impact of climate change.

Contact Deidra Ciriello.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this week made several key personnel announcements:

• Bob Myers will assume responsibilities as EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation.  Administrator Myers has also served for more than 20 years in high-ranking Congressional positions, including Chief of Staff for Mike Bilirakis (R-Fla.). 
• Jason Burnett will serve as Senior Advisor to the Administrator and the Deputy Administrator on energy policy issues, with a focus on the various climate change initiatives now underway in the Agency.  He spent several years in the Office of Air and Radiation as an advisor..
• Kelly Sinclair will assume a new position as Counselor to the EPA Administrator after six years as the EPA's White House Liaison. Previously, Sinclair had been Director of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Center for Historic Houses.  In her new position, she will help to advance the Agency's work in the area of clean, affordable energy by developing opportunities related to green buildings and the White House's Preserve America initiative.
• Chad Babin, who has held previous positions in the current administration, will become the new White House Liaison to EPA and new Associate Assistant Administrator for the Office of Administration and Resources Management.  Before joining EPA, he spent two years at the White House as Deputy Director of Management and also held several positions working with Capitol Hill.   

These changes became effective Monday.

Contact Tyrone P. Wilson.

Contact Tyrone P. Wilson.

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