The Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America (INVEST in America) Act is headed for a full vote in the House of Representatives prior to July 4, according to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) who said voting could begin as early as June 30.

After a markup process that lasted a little more than 24 hours, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee voted to pass the INVEST in America Act late Thursday night. The committee voted along party lines, 35-25, to pass the five-year surface transportation reauthorization through the committee. The markup saw the consideration of 177 amendments over a two-day span that, at times, became heated as Republicans made it clear they believed they were shut out in drafting the $494 billion package.

ATSSA Chair Greg Driskell is well-versed in the Association and The ATSS Foundation where he serves as an ex-officio board member so when The Foundation established its Planned Giving program late last year, he didn’t hesitate to take part.

He had seen The Foundation open doors and change lives for individuals like Lyndsay Sutton.

The recording is now available from Tuesday's ATSSA Town Hall on the New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America Act (INVEST in America Act), which was introduced this month by Committee Chair Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Highways and Transit Subcommittee Chair Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), and Rep. Dan (D-Ill.) Lipinski, who chairs the Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee.

You can hear all of  the details from the conversation between Lipinski, a Democrat representing Illinois' 3rd Congrressoinal District, and ATSSA Vice President of Government Relations Nate Smith.

We just concluded our virtual Town Hall with Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.) and ATSSA Vice President of Government Relations Nate Smith discussing highway funding and the INVEST in America Act.

He called the bill a "robust funding commitment" and said he's  "much more optimistic" than he was 24 hours ago about getting passage of a highway bill this year.

ATSSA will host a live, virtual Town Hall on Tuesday on the highway bill recently proposed by House Democrats known as the INVEST in America Act.

Tuesday’s Town Hall will feature Rep. Dan Lipinski, a Democrat representing Illinois’ 3^rd Congressional District, and ATSSA Vice President of Government Relations Nathan Smith.

UPDATE: ATSSA extended the deadline for submissions to July 9 at 11:59 p.m.

ATSSA seeks your proposals to lead educational sessions for the 51^st Annual Convention & Traffic Expo scheduled for San Diego from Jan. 29 through Feb. 2. The event may have some new twists in 2021 due to the global pandemic but it’s still on and applications to present your industry insights and expertise are now available. Applications are now open for proposals and due by June 25.

“We are excited to see what topics and ideas the industry will bring forward with this Call for Proposals,” said ATSSA Training Program Manager Jessica Scheyder. “Sessions that can be conducted virtually or pre-recorded will be of particular interest, as well as sessions that address the obstacles and opportunities related to the current pandemic environment.”

As our industry and our country navigate challenging times, we at ATSSA continue to look for ways in which to facilitate an environment that allows our members and their employees to have the opportunity to safely work and own businesses.  As such, we were outraged by the senseless death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25. As a leader in this industry, as a man in this world and as a father, I grieve what happened there as well as every act of injustice in America today. Supporting a citizen’s right to peacefully protest and advocate change is inherent to what this country stands for and will be what ultimately leads to a safer, stronger America.

Today, the Democratic leadership of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee released proposed legislation to reauthorize the federal transportation program through Fiscal Year 2025. The bill, Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America Act (INVEST in America Act), was introduced by Committee Chair Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Highways and Transit Subcommittee Chair Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), and Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee Chair Dan Lipinski (D-IL).

The proposal authorizes federal transportation funding for five years, at a total of $494 billion, $319 billion of which will be for highway investments.

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (June 3, 2020) – The American Traffic Safety Services Foundation awarded 14 Roadway Worker Memorial Scholarships and three Chuck Bailey Memorial Scholarships to college and university students around the country for the 2020-21 academic year.

The Roadway Worker Memorial Scholarship Program provides financial assistance for post-high school education to dependents of roadway workers killed or permanently disabled in roadway work zones. The program is competitive and provides scholarships with values up to $10,000 per student each year. Applicants who demonstrate a strong commitment to volunteerism may be eligible for an additional $1,000 in honor of Chuck Bailey, a member of the roadway safety industry who died in 2002.

Fahad Alhajri is a relative newcomer to the transportation industry but is keenly interested in work zone safety and pursuing his goals of becoming the state work zone engineer for the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and a national expert in temporary traffic control.

So when he learned about the Marty Weed Engineering Scholarship that would cover travel expenses up to $1,500 to attend ATSSA’s Annual Convention & Traffic Expo, he submitted an application.

Alhajri and Lance McDonald of the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) were the first two recipients of the scholarship.