The Bill on the Hill

ATSSA's 2009 Reauthorization document,
"Toward Zero Deaths"

Click here to visit ATSSA's Grassroots website.

Click here to download the Fact Sheet describing the consequences of allowing expiration of federal surface transportation programs.

Click here to sign the pledge to support Moving Toward Zero Deaths.

Click here to read ATSSA's report on the Highway Safety Improvement Program.

2012 Fly-In Materials

For talking points, click here.

For a one page leave behind, click here.

Roadway Safety Coalition Applauds Inclusion of Rural Road Safety Amendment in Senate Transportation Bill

To read the release, click here.

National Safety Coalition Applauds Older Driver Safety Amendment

To read the release, click here.

TRIP and AASHTO Release New Older Drivers Report

A new report released by TRIP (a national transportation research group) and AASHTO, titled, Keeping Baby Boomers Mobile: Preserving the Mobility and Safety of Older Americans,” explores mobility and safety issues for older Americans and presents a set of recommendations for implementing a transportation system that can better serve the safety and mobility needs of older Americans and the population at large. To view the 25-page report, click here.

ATSSA Signs Letter Opposing Anti-Retro Amendment

Click hereto read the letter opposing the amendment.

Click here to read DeAngelo Brothers Inc.'s letter opposing the amendment.

ATSSA Applauds House Transportation Committee Passage of Highway Authorization

To read the press release, click here.

District Legislative Adovacy Day

On January 11, 2012, ATSSA will be coordinating a nationwide District Legislative Advocacy Day. This is a day that ATSSA members will visit their Representative or Senators back home in their states and districts to help push for a transportation bill. It is critical that ATSSA members participate in this action. With SAFETEA-LU expiring on March 31, 2012, January is a perfect time to speak directly with your legislators to strongly urge them to act in reauthorizing the highway and infrastructure safety programs. More and more, Congress is relying on hearing from constituents, so it is vital that members take action and make their voices heard.

Setting up a meeting with your elected official is straightforward. Click here to be brought to the House of Representatives website. Click here to access the Senate website for meetings with your Senators. Once there, type in your ZIP code in the upper right hand corner. Once you find your member of Congress, click on his/her website link and call their office to speak to the scheduler. The scheduler might ask you to submit your request in writing via email. This is a normal procedure. Click here for a sample meeting request that you can utilize. When making the meeting for the district office, ask to meet with the actual member of Congress; however, if they are not available, a staff person is perfectly fine.

If you are scheduling a meeting with your senator, you might consider coordinating with your colleagues and fellow chapter members and go as a group.

Click here for a printable one page leave behind for your meeting.

ATSSA is asking you to talk about just a few different points. Click here to view a document with talking points that you can print.

After you have your meeting, please fill out a meeting feedback form and send it to ATSSA's Government Relations department. We are then able to collect more information on which elected officials are positive on our issues. In addition, we can follow up with the legislators' Capitol Hill staff if needed. Click here to print a feedback form.

Please call the ATSSA Washington, D.C. office if you have any questions at all at 202-454-5246 or email at govrelations@atssa.com. It is vitally important that every ATSSA member takes action on January 11.

Government Withholding Relief Coalition Letter to Congress

To read the letter, click here.

ATSSA Letter to Senators Boxer, Baucus, Inhofe and Vitter

To read the letter, click here.

Reed-Ribble Infrastructure Investment Job Growth Letter to Speaker Boehner, Majorit Leader Rep. Cantor and Majority Whip Rep. McCarthy

To read the letter, click here.

ATSSA Thank You Ad

To see the ad, click here.

RSAF Contribution Form

To download the form, click here.

Corporate Partners Sign Up Sheet

To download the form, click here.

2011 Transportation Ballot Questions

To view the questions, click here.

ATSSA Posts Sign Retro Comments

To read the commecnts, click here.

FHWA Announces Roadway Safety Noteworthy Practice Database

To see the announcement, click here.

Coalition Sends Letters to Senate Finance Committee Members

To read the letter, click here.

CRS Report on Infrastructure in Economic Recovery

To read the report, click here.

The President's Plan for Economic Growth and Deficit Reduction

To read the plan, click here.

Hill Staffers' Views on the Value of Social Media

To see the results of the survey, click here.

American Jobs Act

Clcik here for the text the bill.

Click here for the release from the White House.

Click here for an analysis of the bill.

TCC Supports Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012

Click here to read the letter to the Sen. Boxer.

Highway Trust Fund

Click here for updated talking points.

Click here for a funding alternatives one pager.

Historical Highway Spending Info Sheet
State by State Impact of Cuts

ATSSA Hails Decade of Action

To read the press release, click here.

Rep. Altmire Introduces Older Driver and Pedestrian Safety and Roadway Enhancement Act of 2011

To see the ATSSA press release, click here.

To see the CORUS press release, click here.

To listen to Altmire on NPR, click here.

Citizens Are King

Congressional staffers said the most effective way to influence Members of Congress is an in-person visit from a constituent. Click here to see the poll.

To read Joe Jeffrey's testimony in front of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on March 30, click here.

To read Joe Jeffrey's letter to Rep. Peter DeFazio, the Ranking Member on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, click here.

Click here to download and read the Views and Estimates of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for Fiscal Year 2012.

Click here to download and read the Fiscal Year 2011 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Budget.

Proposed Spending Limits Announced by House Appropriations Committee

To view an outline of the proposed spending limits, click here.

Temporary Law Can Mean Huge Savings for 2011 Equpiment Buyers

To read the column, click here.

Government Withholding Tax Coalition Sends Letter to Congress

To read the letter, click here.

To read the Coalition's letter to Rep. Issa, click here.

Coalitions Send Letters to Congress

A group of associations from different industries sent a letter to Congress urging them to provide proper funding for transportation. To read the letter, click here.

The Government Withholding Relief Coalition sent letters to the House of Representatives and the Senate on Sept. 16, 2010 to urge legislators to delay the 3 percent withholding tax by two years. Click here to read the House letter; click here to read the Senate letter.

TCC Sends Letter to Committee on the Budget Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan

TCC Sends Letter to House Speaker Pelosi Regarding SAFETEA-LU Extension

TCC sends June 30, 2010 letter to Congress regarding idea to rescind $2 billion in unobligated highway contract authority.

RISC sends June 29, 2010 letter to Senate EPW Committee asking for the Committee to include language allowing HSIP dollars to be used for retroreflectivity funding for upgrades to signs and pavement markings.

Members of the New Democrat Coalition sent a letter to Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer in support of the bonus depreciation extension (dated May 28, 2010).

The Transportation Construction Coalition (of which ATSSA is a strong member) created this advertisement to highlight the need for transportation investment.

The Government Withholding Relief Coalition sent a letter to President Obama expressing its desire to lift a 3 percent tax this year.

Transportation-focused climate change coalition sent this letter to Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.).

Transportation Construction Coalition letter to Sens. Murray and Bond regarding transportation funding and policies (5-17-10).

A group of transportation stakeholders placed this advertisement in multiple Capitol Hill newspapers and outlets to raise awareness of the effect of climate change legislation on the Highway Trust Fund.

82 National Organizations Urge Congress to Renew Bonus Depreciation (4/1/10).

Coalition letter that ATSSA signed urging that any policy revisions through climate change legislation respect the long-standing principle of highway user fees being dedicated to improving America’s highways and public roads (4/01/10).

The Transportation Construction Coalition sent a letter to House and Senate March 1, 2010, Expressing Disappointment in SAFEATEA-LU Lapse. To read the letter, click here.

Government Withholding Tax Relief Coalition sent a letter to Congressional Leadership on 3 percent Tax Withholding Issue. To read the letter, click here.

Two coalitions that represent organizations and associations – including ATSSA – have sent Congress letters supporting the recently passed House jobs bill. On Wednesday, December 16, the Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) sent a letter to Congress express the Coalitions desire to see robust transportation funding in any jobs legislation that passes through Congress. Click here to read the letter.

In addition, ATSSA is a member of the Government Withholding Relief Coalition (GWRC). GWRC submitted a letter to Congress on December 16 stating the Coalition’s support for repealing the 3 percent tax-withholding law in any jobs legislation being considered. If this provision is not repealed, it will cost companies and governments at all levels significant amounts of money, which will be at the expense of hiring new people and expanding the business, during a time that neither the public nor private sector can handle such needless expenses. Click here to read the Coalition’s letter.

Letter from 41 National Organizations to White House and Congressional Leaders

TCC Letter to NRCC

To view the Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009 - Committee Print, click here.

To download the authorization documents for the Surface Transportation Blueprint released on June 18, 2009 by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee giving an outline of the draft legislation to come, click on the links below:

Executive Summary

The Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009

Transportation Authorization Act of 2009 - Consolidation

Senators Send Letter to Majority Leader Reid and Minority Leader McConnell

On November 17, 2009, Senators Boxer, Inhofe, Dodd, Shelby, Rockefeller, Hutchison, and Baucus sent a letter to Majority Leader Reid and Minority Leader McConnell asking the leaders to support Senate floor time for a six-month extension to SAFEETA-LU.  To read the letter, click here.

Rep. Altmire Gives House Floor Speech in Support of H.R. 3355

On Tuesday evening, October 6, 2009, Rep. Jason Altmire (R-Penn.) took to the floor of the House of Representatives to raise awareness of and champion H.R. 3355, the Older Driver and Pedestrian Safety and Roadway Enhancement Act, which has been endorsed by both ATSSA and AARP. Click here to read Rep. Altmire’s speech in the Congressional Record where he specifically mentions ATSSA.

Congressman Altmire Sends “Dear Colleague” Letter Regarding Older Drivers Safety Act

House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee member Jason Altmire (R-Penn.) sent a letter to his congressional colleagues on August 17, 2009, asking for their support for H.R. 3355, the Older Driver and Pedestrian Safety and Roadway Enhancement Act. Click here to read the updated letter.

ATSSA Chairman Henry Ross Testifies before House Subcommittee

On Thursday, July 16, ATSSA Chairman Henry Ross testified before the House Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight during a hearing “The Upcoming Highway Bill and Ensuring It Meets the Needs of Small Businesses.”

The hearing examined how investing in highway infrastructure benefits local economies and what improvements to America’s surface transportation system are required to meet the needs of entrepreneurs. The Subcommittee heard testimony from several small businesses in the transportation and construction industries.

“You don't have any predictability. Small businesses need to be able to justify investments in people and in equipment and you can't do that if you don't know what the funding is a year out or two years out,” said Henry Ross, chairman of the American Traffic Safety Services Association. “You're going to get everybody real nervous if we just do extensions the way we did on the last reauthorization, and people are not going to be making the long term investment.”

Watch the Video Highlights of Chairman Ross's testimony

See highlights from one of the question and answer sessions which followed the prepared testimony

Chairman Ross is the second respondent in this clip (begins one minute, 15 seconds in).

Status of SAFETEA-LU Funding

This is a new format that links directly to the FHWA website which is tracking the obligation rates of the Highway Safety Improvement Program.

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/gen_info/slorhsip/

Highway Safety Improvement Program (as of 12/31/09)

High Risk Rural Roads (as of 12/31/09)

Railway-Highway Combined (as of 12/31/09)

Safe Routes to School (as of 5/31/09)

Safety is Transportation's Number One Priority

According to a study released by the Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) and the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE), the human toll of roadway crashes is staggering. The American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA), a member of TCC and one of the nation’s leading voices on roadway safety, celebrates this groundbreaking study as proof that America must move Toward Zero Deaths on the road.

To read the TTC / PIRE study, visit the Roadway Safety Issues page of ATSSA's Roadway Safety Outreach section of the website by clicking here.

Click here to read a letter from ATSSA President and CEO Roger Wentz to President Obama expressing ATSSA's strong opposition to the idea of an18-month extension of the current transportation authorization (SAFETEA-LU).

To read a June 24, 2009 letter from Democratic members of the House T & I Committee to President Obama expressing their opposition to extend the current transportation safety bill (SAFETEA-LU) for an additional 18 months, click here.

To read a letter dated June 17, 2009 addressed to members of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and members of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit urging significant increases in funding for safety improvements on high risk rural roads (HRRR), click here.

Executive Summary

ATSSA Correspondence with Government Officials

RISC Letter to Congressional members outlining Coalition's priorities for the 2009 transportation authorization.

2009 Stimulus Information Center

Hearing on “Recovery Act: Progress Report for Transportation Infrastructure Investment” - December 9. 2009

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - 12/3/09

To view the chart of ARRA allocated funds as of 10-31-09 (State Rankings), click here.

Click here to download a chart which outlines state-by-state progress on spending through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA or Stimulus) as of October 31, 2009.

Guide Specification for Minimum Retro Levels to Access ARRA Dollars - Click here to download a sample guide spec - sign replacement - to assist members in accessing stimulus funds.

Click here to visit Recovery.Gov, where you will find up-to-date recovery information from state, local, tribal, and territorial governments on how funds are being distributed and used to create jobs and stimulate economic growth.

Click here to download the latest H.R. 1 State-by-State allocation tables.

Click here to download the H.R. 1 Conference Report Summary.

"Low Cost Local Road Safety Solutions" (source:  ATSSA and NACE)

Actions That Can Be Taken to Expedite Economic Recovery Delivery (Important Information on the Stimulus Package from the FHWA dated February 4, 2009)

Oberstar and DeFazio Send “Dear Colleague” Letter Regarding Highway Trust Fund

House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee Chairman Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.) and House T&I Subcommittee Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) sent a letter to their congressional colleagues on March 18, 2009, expressing their grave concern over the projected status of the Highway Trust Fund. In their opinions, if the Trust Fund situation is not addressed in an adequate fashion, then the Fund will only be able to support approximately $20.5 billion in Fiscal Year 2010, which is one-half the amount of that which is being invested this year. Click here to read the entire congressional letter and a state-by-state breakdown.

ATSSA Advertisements Published in Capitol Hill Newspaper

Since 1955, Roll Call, the "newspaper of Capitol Hill," has been geared towards members of Congress, providing them with a news review and communications platform for Capitol Hill events.

Full-color advertisements urging Congress and President Obama’s team to bring a special focus to roadway infrastructure safety as part of any bill that includes transportation funding considered by the 111th Congress were published.  The ad campaign began in December 2008 and will continue through calendar year 2009.  To view specific Roll Call ads, click on the publication dates shown below.

"Toward Zero Deaths" National, State and Local Organizations Endorsers and Supporters

• American Society of Highway Engineers (ASHE)
• Split Second
• Asphalt Emulsion Manufacturers Association
• Asphalt Recycling & Reclaiming Association
• International Slurry Surfacing Association
• American Highway Users Endorsement Letter
• Arkansas Asphalt Pavement Association
• Citizens for Roadside Safety
• Construction Safety Council
• Fredericksburg Chamber
• Hazlehurst City
• Household Goods Forwarders Association

Other Proposals and Information

House Stimulus Letter dated 1-28-09 from the Transportation Construction Coalition.

To download a compilation of 2008 state-by-state ballot initiatives, click here.
Refocus. Reform. Renew. A New Transportation Approach for America (U.S. Department of Transportation 2008)

Strategic Highway Safety Plans, a state-by-state compilation.

H.R. 7110, the Job Creation and Unemployment Act of 2008

Below are updated tables outlining the state-by-state infrastructure investment funding provided by H.R. 7110, the Job Creation and Unemployment Act of 2008, which passed the House on Sept. 26, 2008.

• Total Infrastructure Investment Funding (by State)
• Highway Infrastructure Funding (by State)
• HR 7110 Highway and Bridge Investment (by State)
• HR 7110 Transit Capital Investment (Urban and Rural - By State)
• HR 7110 Transit Energy Investment (urban and Rural - By State)

ATSSA Provides Testimony to the House

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee The American

Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) provided testimony to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee of the United States House of Representatives as it examined how infrastructure investment contributes to job creation and economic recovery. To read the full statement, click here.