Related Links: Video of Senate Finance Committee hearing; prepared statements and testimony Key Senators' Highway-Bill Outline Needs Revenue Key senators agree that highway and transit funding will hit a critical juncture soon and faces longer-range financial needs. At a May 6 Finance Committee hearing, there was no agreement on specific short- or long-term remedies.The Highway Trust Fund's flagging health is the immediate problem. The Congressional Budget Office projects that, by Sept. 30, the trust fund's highway-account balance will dwindle to $2 billion and its transit account will have $1 billion left, Joseph Kile, a CBO assistant director, testified.Finance Chairman Ron

Related Links: Supreme Court's April 29 ruling High Court Hears Arguments in Air Quality Case Industry observers say that the low cost of natural gas, as well as regulatory actions by the Environmental Protection Agency, could temper the immediate impact of the Supreme Court's April 29 ruling that upheld an air-quality rule for emissions that move across state lines.Still, the EPA contends the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) would require some $800 million annually in powerplant retrofits, mostly in upwind states. Some sources argue the court's decision may embolden the agency to interpret its Clean Air Act authority broadly in

Related Links: Administarative Settlement and Complaince Agreement (PDF) McHugh Pays City of Chicago's Procurement Office $2 Million A major Chicago construction firm has agreed to pay $12 million to settle federal and state charges that it used disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs) as "pass-throughs" to get contracts for seven projects, totaling more than $156 million.James McHugh Construction Co. Inc., in a separate administrative settlement, also agreed to establish a corporate compliance program. The firm further agreed to hire a compliance officer and an independent monitor who will report to the government agencies.In addition, the company also promised to dismiss Senior Vice

Related Links: Prepared text of Ex-Im chairman's April 24 speech Congress Approves Three-Year Ex-Im Bank Measure (enr.com 5/28/2012) [subscription] A Capitol Hill battle is shaping up over the reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank. The bank provides financial aid to U.S. exporters, including heavy-equipment makers and construction firms. Its authorization expires on Sept. 30. A White House bill to keep Ex-Im running for five years has business groups' support. But at least one key House Republican opposes the proposal.The White House bill, sent to Congress on April 23, would extend Ex-Im through 2019 and raise its aid cap, in steps, to

Related Links: House-Senate Talks on WRDA Bill Get Under Way (ENR 12/2/2013 issue) [subscription] Water-Resources Bill Heads for House-Senate Conference (ENR 11/04/2013 issue) [subscription] After months of discussion between House and Senate conferees, an agreement on a new water-resources bill appeared to be near at ENR press time. The lead House negotiator, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), on April 29 said, "We are inches away from crossing the goal line on a Water Resources Reform and Development Act."The bill would authorize new Army Corps of Engineers' civil-works projects and was expected to include Corps policy changes in

Related Links: Text of Potter Concrete-Justice Dept. settlement agreement Justice Dept. press release 4/17/2014 A Texas concrete contractor has agreed to pay the federal government $115,000 to settle charges that it violated documentation provisions of federal immigration law, the Dept. of Justice has said.DOJ, which announced the agreement on April 17, said its investigation showed that Dallas-based Potter Concrete Ltd. made “unlawful demands” of new hires who were not U.S. citizens.Justice said that the company required newly hired non-U.S. citizens to submit specific Dept. of Homeland Security-issued documents, but it allowed U.S.-citizen new hires to provide “their choice of documentation.”DOJ

Related Links: Text of DOD report House Appropriators Cut FY15 DOD Construction, Hike VA Major-Projects Account (ENR 4/21/2014 issue) [subscription] If a new round of mandatory budget cuts hits the Dept. of Defense in fiscal year 2016, military construction spending would rise from projected 2015 levels but then fall in 2017, the Pentagon has predicted.In a report issued April 16, DOD says if budget sequestration kicks in for 2016, it would result in $7.2 billion for military construction, including aid for DOD family housing. That total would be up 9% from the $6.6 billion President Obama requested for those programs

Related Links: House Appropriations Committee draft report on FY15 military construction-VA bill Webcast of committee's April 9 markup of milcon-VA and legislative branch bills In its first action on fiscal year 2015 spending bills, the House Appropriations Committee has voted to slash Dept. of Defense construction and boost the Dept. of Veterans Affairs major-projects program.The panel, which cleared the military construction-VA bill on April 9, sliced DOD construction 33%, to $6.6 billion. Army construction would be hit hardest among the armed services, with a 52% reduction. Navy-Marines and Air Force programs each would be cut by more than 30%.The committee

Photo Courtesy of U.S. Senate Photo Studio Senators (from left) Carper, Vitter, Boxer and Barrasso seek long-term bill, modest aid hike. Video Courtesy of the Office of Sen. Barbara Boxer Senate EPW Leaders' Press Conference (excludes Q&A) Related Links: Boxer Seeks to Unveil New Transportation Bill in April (enr.com 2/18/2014) [subscription] The search for a new transportation bill has passed a key milepost in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW). Leaders agreed on a blueprint for the highway-policy portion of an eventual long-term measure. The bill could span six years with funding set at current levels, plus small

Related Links: DOE Fiscal 2015 Budget Request Highlights Areva Information on MOX Project The Dept. of Energy's proposal to put a 60%-complete mixed-oxide fuel (MOX) facility in Aiken, S.C., on "cold standby" has run into criticism from key senators.The plant, which would convert 34 metric tons of surplus weapons-grade plutonium into MOX fuel, could cost more than $7 billion to build, plus $30 billion in life-cycle expenses, DOE Secretary Ernest Moniz told a Senate appropriations subcommittee on April 9. Citing "extremely tight budgets," DOE put the project on hold while it evaluates alternatives, he noted.Lawmakers blasted DOE for potentially breaking