Engineering Inc. - July/August 2013 - (Page 4)

Legislative Action ACEC Endorses Alternative Transportation Funding Bills Senate Advances Immigration Reform, More STEM Visas 4 ENGINEERING INC. JULY / AUGUST 2013 TOM WILLIAMS/GETTY IMAGES F ollowing weeks of debate, the Senate is poised to approve bipartisan immigration reform that will include additional visas for engineering and other STEM fields. ACEC strongly supports this provision in the legislation. The bill increases the H-1B visa cap from 65,000 to 115,000, with an additional 25,000 visas reserved for advanced degree holders in the STEM fields. The cap has the potential to rise as high as 180,000, based on hiring needs and economic conditions. Firms that employ more than 15 percent of their workforce on H-1B visas must offer jobs to Americans first, and will be required to pay higher wages and fees in the H-1B program. The House has not yet begun consideration of immigration reform legislation, but House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has publicly stated that he expects Congress to send a bill to the president by the end of the year. Any immigration reform plan approved by the House is expected to have a stronger focus on border security and include a similar increase in H–1B visas. New Foreign Assistance Bill Reflects Industry Input C ongressman Ted Poe (R-Texas) is preparing to reintroduce legislation to improve the oversight and performance of U.S. foreign assistance programs. The measure reflects concerns by ACEC that better oversight is needed to ensure the effectiveness of U.S.-financed infrastructure projects in developing countries. The Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act will seek implementation of measurable goals, performance metrics, and monitoring and evaluation plans for all foreign development assistance programs. Since much of the Congressman Ted Poe assistance is used to fund infra(R-Texas) wants to expand structure improvements, ACEC oversight of U.S.-funded has worked with the congressman to ensure the bill’s provisions apply foreign projects. to specific projects to ensure that tax dollars are being well spent. Similar legislation was passed unanimously in the House last year, and was approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, but Congress adjourned before action could be completed on the bill. CHARLES DHARAPAK/AP PHOTO BYRON JORJORIAN/GETTY IMAGES A CEC is supporting legislative proposals in the House and Senate to boost available funding for transportation programs. The Infrastructure Jobs and Energy Independence Act (H.R. 787), introduced by Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Pa.), would expand domestic energy production and commit additional federal revenues to transportation infrastructure. The bill opens Congressman Tim Murphy (R-Pa.) introduced the Infrastructure Jobs and up more of the Outer Energy Independence Act. Continental Shelf and the Gulf of Mexico to oil and gas exploration and expedites lease sales. Sixty percent of the new revenues from leases, bids and royalties would be used to supplement funding for highway, bridge, transit and water resources development programs. In the Senate, legislation will be introduced to authorize up to $50 billion in supplemental financing for transportation infrastructure projects. Under the bill, each state could issue up to $1 billion in new Transportation and Regional Infrastructure Project (TRIP) bonds over a sixyear period for major transportation construction projects across all modes of transportation, including roads, bridges, transit, rail, ports and inland waterways. Senator John Hoeven (R-N.D.) co-sponsored TRIP “We believe bonds funding legislation. these investments made possible by TRIP bonds will generate significant economic growth, improve transportation infrastructure, and save lives through enhanced transportation safety without adding to deficit spending,” ACEC wrote in a letter with other stakeholders to the bill’s sponsors, Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D.). Each state would be responsible for identifying a dedicated revenue stream to repay the principal of the TRIP bonds issued. The federal government would cover the interest portion on the bonds, paid in the form of tax credits to bondholders.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Engineering Inc. - July/August 2013

Engineering Inc. - July/August 2013
Contents
From ACEC to You
Legislative Action
Market Watch
An Unfair Duty
Keys to Growth
2013 Professional Liability Insurance Survey of Member Firms
Healthy Solutions
Insights of Outsourcing
Risk Management
Fall Conference Preview
Business Insights
Guest Column
Members in the News
Mergers and Acquisitions

Engineering Inc. - July/August 2013