A summary of recent NSPE
government relations activities
PEs Meet With Lawmakers on Capitol Hill
More than 100 NSPE members and their spouses, from Maine to Hawaii,
recently participated in P.E. Day on the Hill. During the event, engineers
visited more than 100 congressional offices on Capitol Hill to discuss
issues of concern to the engineering community. NSPE members drew the
attention of congressional leaders and their staffs to bipartisan
legislation responding to the need for increased funding for clean and
safe water infrastructure. Engineers encouraged lawmakers to sponsor the
legislation, which will soon be introduced.
NSPE also thanked members of the House and Senate for supporting the
Math & Science Partnerships program created by the No Child Left
Behind Act (H.R. 1). The program would provide teachers with hands-on
experience they could take into the classroom, through school district
partnerships with higher learning institutions, research facilities,
private companies, or other organizations. Engineers urged members of
Congress to fully fund that initiative in the FY03 budget.
Senators were also asked to support H.R. 1858, which would authorize
$200 million for Math & Science Partnerships through the National
Science Foundation (NSF). The program provides funding for states to join
with colleges and universities to strengthen math and science education
efforts. In addition, NSPE expressed appreciation for the support of the
brownfields bill (H.R. 2869), which authorizes $250 million for assessment
and cleanup activities.
P.E. Day on the Hill participants stressed the need to adopt a
comprehensive energy policy similar to the one passed by the House last
year (H.R. 4). Other issues NSPE members raised included association
health plans, the permanent extension of the research and development tax
credit, and the need to maintain the government's ability to use private
sector engineering services.
The NSPE Government Relations staff would like to thank everyone who
participated in P.E. Day on the Hill. Without you, the day would not have
been successful.
Bush Adds Permanent R&D Tax Credit to Budget
The R&D Credit Coalition, of which NSPE is a member, wrote
President Bush and urged him to include a permanent R&D tax credit in
his FY03 budget.
The letter noted that private sector research "is vital to our national
security, as well as to our economic resilience.... In periods of economic
uncertainty, it is particularly difficult for companies to commit to high
cost, high-risk long-term R&D projects. If firms can rely with
certainty on the long-term availability of the R&D credit, they are
better able to plan for and invest now in more long-term research projects
in the U.S-providing both an immediate boost to the economy and a stronger
foundation for future economic growth."
The president heard the message loud and clear. Included in the FY03
budget is a provision to make the R&D tax credit permanent. The budget
notes that the credit "encourages technological developments that are an
important component of economic growth." Uncertainty about its
availability has diminished its effectiveness. To improve its
effectiveness, the R&D credit should be made permanent, the budget
reads.
Water Infrastructure Budget Falls Short of Needs
The Water Infrastructure Network (WIN), of which NSPE is a founding
member, expressed concern about the Bush administration's FY03 budget for
drinking water and wastewater infrastructure funding. For the drinking
water state revolving fund, the administration proposed the same amount as
last year-$850 million. For the clean water SRF, only $1.25 billion was
proposed-$100 million less than last year. The drinking water SRF has
never been budgeted at its authorized level of $1 billion annually, and
funding for the clean water SRF has remained flat for several years.
NSPE believes this budget falls far short of infrastructure needs.
Hearings last year before the Senate Environment & Public Works
Committee documented a shortfall of up to $1 trillion in the level of
investment needed to meet federal requirements for infrastructure, as well
as the repair and replacement of aging infrastructure, over the next 20
years.
WIN is asking Congress to commit $57 billion, over the next five years,
for investment in drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.
Education Funds Target Disadvantaged Children
President Bush's budget request for the Department of Education is
$56.5 billion, including a record high of $50.3 billion for discretionary
programs. The request builds on recent growth in the department's budget,
which has more than doubled since 1996.
The request reflects the president's continuing commitment to improve
student achievement and to leave no child behind, according to Education
Secretary Roderick Paige.
"President Bush's budget demonstrates his continued commitment to
meeting the needs of disadvantaged children. The president's proposed
investments stretch from early childhood education through college and
beyond," Paige said. "They not only will help us ensure every child has
access to a quality education, but also will help us keep our economy
sound and our homeland strong."
The administration is requesting $12.5 million to fund math and science
partnerships-the same amount appropriated in FY02. NSPE supports the
partnerships and would like to see them funded at the amount
authorized-$450 million.
The president is also proposing $200 million for NSF's five-year Math
& Science Partnerships program, which is supported by NSPE. The
program provides funding for states to join with colleges and universities
to strengthen math and science education efforts. Last year, $160 million
was appropriated for the program.
