ATSSA Signal May June 2019

American Traffic Safety Services Association 10 Government Relations ATSSA advocates on Capitol Hill Association members from across country advocate for roadway safety infrastructure Ninety-onemembers came together on Capitol Hill to advocate for roadway safety infrastructure and saving lives on our nation’s roadways, as part of ATSSA’s Legislative Briefing & Fly-In on May 1–2, 2019. The goal of the Legislative Briefing & Fly-In is to prepare members with the data and information they need to ef- fectively advocate for policies that in- crease investment in roadway safety infrastructure and advance roadway safety. Among the topics discussed were the need for long-term solvency of the High- way Trust Fund, highway reauthoriza- tion of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, andmoving forward with an infrastructure package in Congress. ATSSA members from 35 states were represented at the event, with 21 first- time attendees participating. The group completed 165 meetings with federal legislators and staff in eight hours. Sev- eral participants in ATSSA’s Leadership Program participated. Speakers at the Legislative Briefing in- cluded Kathy Ruffalo of Ruffalo and As- sociates, Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA.), Federal Highway Administration Deputy Administrator Brandye Hendrickson, Sen. TomCarper (D-DE.), andRep. Rodney Davis (R-IL). With the 2019 midterm elections and new leadership at the helm of congres- sional committees, it was more import- ant than ever to have ATSSA members connect with legislators and share sto- ries on how roadway safety infrastruc- ture devices have a real impact on re- ducing injuries and fatalities on our nation’s roadways. During the event, ATSSA’s 2019 Road- way Safety Champion Award winner— Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL)—was an- nounced. The award is given to federal legislators who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing transporta- tion initiatives and roadway safety and is selected and approved by ATSSA’s board of directors. ATSSA board mem- bers presented the award toDiaz-Balart’s staff during Fly-In. Diaz-Balart is currently serving his ninth term in the U.S. House of Representa- tives and is the senior member on the House Committee on Appropriations and is the Ranking Member of the Sub- committee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development. He also serves on the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs and Defense Subcom- mittees, as well as on the House Com- mittee on the Budget. “Rep. Diaz-Balart has been a strong voice for transportation infrastructure in Con- gress. Working with fellow legislators, Diaz-Balart worked to include language in last year’s House appropriations bill to provide a ten percent increase—equaling $250 million—in additional funding for the Highway Safety Improvement Pro- gram. While the language was ultimately not included in the final appropriations bill—due in part to the government shut- down—his commitment to support trans- portation infrastructure has been key in ATSSA’smission to advance roadway safe- ty,” said ATSSA’s Director of Government Relations David Bell.  For more information about ATSSA’s Legislative Briefing & Fly-In, visit www.atssa.com/Flyin. ATSSA presented Rep. Diaz-Balart’s Roadway Safety Champion Award to a member of his staff during Fly-In.