Blog Postings
 | Help Us Get the Message to Republicans: Infrastructure Matters!
By Christian A. Klein » 06/07/2010 9:55 PM
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Recently, House Republicans launched a revolutionary new campaign to gather ideas from the American people to help shape the party’s election year agenda. As one congressional staffer close to the project put it, “As Republicans, we see this as a market opportunity. If the Democrats aren't listening to the American people, we certainly would like to provide that service.”
This new effort is a great opportunity for the equipment industry. The Start Us Up USA! campaign is on a crusade to make America’s infrastructure crisis a top priority for Republicans. It should be a natural fit: Highways and bridges are critical to our national security and economic competitiveness. Republican President Dwight Eisenhower oversaw the creation of the federal highway program in the 50s and by boosting investment through a gas tax increase in the 1980’s, President Ronald Reagan helped strengthen the program.
Unfortunately, in recent years Republicans have been less enthusiastic in their support. With some notable exceptions, many seem to regard the highway program as yet another big government program that needs to be contained, rather than one of the few that’s actually working. GOP opposition to increased federal taxes has meant that most Republicans are refusing to support the user fee increases that AED and AEM believe are the fiscally-responsible way to pay for more highway investment.
Other groups that have been traditionally allied with Republicans, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, also support higher gas taxes if all the money is invested in transportation. So let’s engage with our Republican friends and tell them what we really think. Go to http://www.AmericaSpeakingOut.com and start sounding off about infrastructure.
Explain that traffic congestion costs the U.S. economy $87 billion per year in wasted time and fuel. Explain that half of all highway deaths are attributable to poor road conditions. Explain that there’s a difference between taxes and user fees. Remind Republicans that all the money raised by the gas tax is used for highway investment. Tell them that we don’t want to make the nation’s budget crisis worse and that we need to responsibly pay for the infrastructure we desperately need. And, of course, explain that the uncertainty surrounding the federal highway program’s future is causing havoc in the construction industry.
Don’t forget to mention water infrastructure. There are hundreds of billions of dollars in sewer and drinking water needs around the country. Through the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act, Congress has imposed strict water quality standards on states and communities. Republicans claim to hate unfunded mandates on states. That means it’s up to Congress to make sure local governments have the resources they need to meet the goals the federal government has set.
AmericaSpeakingOut.com is being billed by Republicans as a “radical new way to interact with elected officials.” It’s a great opportunity to help shape the Republican agenda for years to come. Go to http:///www.AmericaSpeakingOut.com and sound off today!
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 | “Meaningful Extension” is a MUST
By Dennis Slater » 03/01/2010 8:27 AM
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Both the House and Senate have passed Jobs Bills that extend the existing highway programs through the end of fiscal year (House) and calendar year (Senate) 2010. Whichever date becomes law when the two bills are merged, the Start Us Up USA! campaign will do everything possible to ensure this is a “meaningful extension” – and Congress gets down to real work on this vital piece of legislation to create jobs today and the basis for true economic growth for decades to come.
The current highway programs originally expired at the end of September 2009. Since then the Senate and Administration have continued to throw obstacles in the path of a multi-year reauthorization, forcing the House to accept extension after extension without taking any steps towards completing a bill. With an extension in the Jobs Bill removing the constant pressure to pass a one, two, or three month extension, the committees of jurisdiction have breathing room to work on a fully-funded, multi-year reauthorization. Unfortunately there are no guarantees, and Congress’ record of passing comprehensive, bipartisan legislation on any issue these days doesn’t inspire confidence.
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 | My Experience as Part of the Idle Equipment Caravan in San Antonio
By Daniel B. Fisher » 01/29/2010 11:25 AM
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Last week, the Start Us Up USA! campaign made its fourth stop in four months in San Antonio. By all accounts, the rally was a tremendous success. There was a large turnout and great media coverage. The idle equipment caravan was arguably the most impressive yet. Thirteen large pieces of construction equipment rolling through the streets of San Antonio on flatbed trucks. What a sight!
I had the privilege of helping to organize the idle equipment caravan at the Alamo Dome prior to the rally, providing me the opportunity to talk with the truck drivers from all over Texas. These men embody what this country is all about—hard work and determination. Not sitting in an office, but travelling from distributor to job site proudly being a part of the building of America.
These drivers have witnessed first-hand what the lack of a multiyear highway reauthorization bill is doing to the construction equipment industry. There are fewer job sites to bring equipment. More of their friends out of work. They worry about whether contractors are going to buy new equipment in the coming months and whether their job will be around through the spring. Not only did the drivers I speak with talk about their jobs, they also spoke to me about road conditions. Traffic congestion has never been worse. A trip that used to take an hour now takes two, wasting time and fuel. Highways and bridges are crumbling. One man told to me about the air quality during the hot Texas summers and how cars and trucks idling in traffic creating a haze over the roadway.
Driving in a flatbed from the Alamo Dome to the rally site, I asked my driver what he thinks about what is going on in Washington. He expressed the sentiments of many I spoke to at the Alamo Dome that day and during the week in San Antonio: Nobody can come together to actually get things done anymore. The basic functions of government are broken. They wake up at 4:30 every morning, put in a full day’s work, earn an honest living, and start all over the next day. My friends from south Texas are the epitome of why we need a multiyear highway bill. It is jobs, prosperity, growth, hard work, and the livelihood of Americans.
Congress, Democrats and Republicans, and the administration must take care of business and get the country going again. Not just for the person driving the truck in south Texas, but for the future of our nation
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 | New Year, New Priorities
By Dennis Slater » 01/10/2010 7:42 PM
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When we began the Start Us Up USA! campaign in August it often felt like we were yelling at a hurricane. Few in Washington wanted to hear what we were saying about the dire need for a multi-year reauthorization of the highway bill now, not just for job creation today, but to develop a foundation for economic growth for decades to come. During our early congressional visits we commonly encountered what I would call “polite dismissal.” After being assured by the lawmaker that they supported our position they let us know it simply was not a priority. It would have been easy for us to become frustrated and quit. But changing the conversation in Washington doesn’t happen overnight nor without hard work.
As the New Year is getting underway there are signs the conversation is now changing. While there are a lot of factors beyond our efforts contributing to this mindset shift, we can certainly take credit for leading the charge and for being one of the first to take decisive action.
With the end of the health care debate finally in sight and the economy still showing signs of weakness, lawmakers will be scrambling this election year to demonstrate to a voting public increasingly convinced of Washington’s ineffectiveness that they desire to keep their jobs. I can’t think of a better way for them to do that then by passing a highway bill that makes our economy stronger, roads safer, and puts people to work today. And, we helped put that idea in their heads!
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 | All I Want for Christmas....
By Toby Mack » 12/10/2009 3:51 PM
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As everyone across the country is getting ready for the holiday season and health care “reform” continues to dominate the news out of Washington, I want to make sure that some key items do not get lost in the shuffle.
First, by December 18 Congress should pass another extension of the current highway program. We urge Congress to enact a short-term extension and get to work on passing a multi-year bill immediately.
Second, there is a lot of talk of a “job creation” bill from Congress and the administration. It is anticipated that any such proposal will include significant infrastructure funding. While I commend Congress and the administration for finally recognizing the job creation potential of infrastructure investment, I must caution policymakers on one point. Our industry and the nation undoubtedly need a major infrastructure upgrade. However, just throwing a bunch of money at the problem without a multi-year reauthorization bill with sustained highway investment will do little to solve the uncertainty in the construction equipment industry. We need a long-term plan with substantial, continued investment.
So, we welcome the focus on infrastructure investment to create jobs, but please remember that the needs in this country are so great that $100 billion or so will be spent quickly and we will be back in the same dismal economic situation several months after enactment of a “job creation” bill. What we need is a multi-year bill as soon as possible.
Finally, on December 2, AED and AEM were joined by 30 other national organizations representing the construction, manufacturing, aviation, professional services, and distribution sectors in calling on Congress and President Obama to extend business purchasing tax incentives included in the economic stimulus legislation.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) allows businesses to write off 50 percent of new equipment purchases and permits qualified small businesses to expense up to $250,000. The depreciation bonus and increased small business expensing provisions were included in the ARRA to encourage companies to make new capital investments in 2009. Both incentives expire at the end of the year. Unfortunately, the depression in the construction equipment industry prevented many businesses from taking advantage of these important incentives during 2009. We urge Congress to extend the depreciation bonus and small business expensing provisions from ARRA and to enact a multi-year highway bill so that our industry can take advantage of the incentives.
To view the full text of the letter please click here.
Happy holidays to all!
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