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American Traffic Safety Services Association
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
REPORT
2014
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
Government Relations Team on Capitol Hill
Congress passed a funding patch for the Highway Trust Fund on July 31. This averted a shutdown of the federal
program. Although this was not a perfect scenario, had Congress not acted, funding for the federal-aid highway
program would have ceased at the height of the construction season in mid-August (during the annual congressional
August recess). Accompanying this funding patch was an extension of the current transportation law, Moving Ahead
for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), through May 2015. While this patch allowed congress more time to
work out a solution, the transportation stakeholder community in Washington, D.C., including ATSSA’s Government
Relations team, pushed hard for increases in revenue for the Highway Trust Fund in order that a new, long-term
highway bill could be achieved before 2014’s end. Unfortunately, representatives and senators returned from a wave
election to tackle the remaining issues in a lame duck congress, and transportation legislation did not make the agenda.
ATSSA held 228 meetings with members of Congress and their staffs to push the needle for roadway safety
infrastructure policies and funding on Capitol Hill. The team attended 16 congressional hearings, and ATSSA PAC
participated in 31 campaign fundraisers throughout 2014.
Highway Safety
Improvement Program
Letter to House
Transportation &
Infrastructure Committee
In the fall of 2014, Reps. Lou Barletta (R–Pa.)
and Dan Lipinski (D–Ill.) sent a letter to
House Transportation & Infrastructure
Chairman Bill Shuster (R–Pa.) and Ranking
Member Nick Rahall (D–W.Va.) advocating
the continuation of a strong, fully-funded
Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP)
as the committee begins crafting the next
highway bill after MAP-21. More specifically,
the letter highlighted the success of the HSIP
over the last decade and advocated for the
continuation of investment in our nation’s
roadway safety infrastructure. Reps. Barletta
and Lipinski were able to persuade 26 House
colleagues to join them in sending this letter
of support. The number of members of
Congress who supported this effort represents
the growing interest in the roadway safety
industry from both sides of the aisle and leaves
ATSSA members in a great position as we
enter the 114th Congress.
Legislative Briefing & Fly-In
ATSSA’s successful Legislative Briefing & Fly-In was held at the Washington
Court Hotel on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., April 2–3, 2014. The event
saw record numbers, including 107 ATSSA members who represented 30
states. Thirty-three ATSSA members were first-time attendees. A record
number of members of Congress spoke at the Briefing. In addition, ATSSA
members conducted 160 congressional meetings in the span of eight hours.
During the briefing, Rep. John Duncan (R–Tenn.) received the ATSSA
Roadway Safety Champion Award for his work on work zone safety issues
over the years. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman
Bill Shuster (R–Pa.) and Ranking Member Nick Rahall (D–W.Va.) spoke at the
conference along with Reps. John Delaney (D–Md.), Lou Barletta (R–Pa.),
Steve Daines (R–Mont.) and Sen. David Vitter (R–La.).
(From left)
Audrey Parker, of Roadmark Corp.; Ben Capel, of Guardway Corp.;
Rep. Richard Hudson (R–N.C.); and Dane Alsabrook, of Ennis-Flint meet
during the Legislative Briefing & Fly-In in Washington, D.C., April 2–3, 2014.
