May 16, 2024

By Lane Kimble

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A trio of WTBA members went to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. this week on a mission: ensure Wisconsin’s Congressional leaders understand a few simple but important keys about the transportation world.

Mission Accomplished.

Walbec Group’s Jeff Parisi and Brandon Strand, along with WTBA Director of Communications Lane Kimble, held in-person meetings with staff in Senator Tammy Baldwin’s office along with Congressmen Glenn Grothman and Derrick Van Orden’s offices.

The group stressed the importance of long-term and reliable transportation system funding (as many years into the future as possible), pushed lawmakers to keep close watch over new OSHA rules which may prove to be overly burdensome or “solutions in search of a problem,” and ensured staff know the door is always open for on-site visits to see construction work being done and meet the men and women doing the work.

WTBA’s visits were part of the American Road and Transportation Builders Association’s annual Federal Issues Program, which ran in conjunction with the Transportation Construction Coalition Fly-In and the Industry Leaders Development Program, May 13-15.

The Federal Issues Program supplied plenty of revealing information and perspectives into federal highway funding, regulations, and ensuring the more than $1 trillion of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law money isn’t just pledged, but spent and gets shovels in the ground.

Meanwhile, Parisi – who serves as ARTBA’s Contractor Division Chairman – led discussions on Build America Buy America provisions, helping to clear up some confusion over manufactured products waivers.

That included looking at a PowerPoint deck Florida’s DOT assembled to assist other states.

WTBA Exec. Director Steve Baas also shared details with other states on how WTBA and its coalition partners finally guided the utility compensable delay bill across the finish line.