Goodbye 2011 and Hellow 2012

Another year. That’s what 2011 was. It wasn’t a year where compromise was forged, where national interests were made paramount, or where facts took the front seat to spin and brinkmanship. Instead, Congress is at an all-time low approval rating of 11%, the presidential field (from any direction) is a mess, and the problems that plagued us in 2010 are still very much present going into 2012.

However, we also achieved a lot in spite of this political gridlock. Through our advocacy efforts and the input from ASCE members, we fought tirelessly for the repeal of the 3% Withholding Tax.  In the past six months, we have released two major studies showing the critical link between deficient transportation and water infrastructure and America’s economic future.

We now have a near consensus in the Senate and the House of Representatives that investing in transportation and our infrastructure is a problem that needs to be solved now, and not later. Across the board we have seen bipartisan proposals that seek to bridge the spending gap and recognize that working across the aisle is the only way to get the job done. There is no Republican or Democratic way to build a bridge. This was showcased recently by the 111 Democrats and Republicans in the House who wrote a letter to Speaker Boehner urging a long-term spending bill to adequately fund America’s failing infrastructure. If we push even harder next year, the possibility is very real that we can get a multi-year transportation bill that adequately funds the highways, roads, and bridges that we use and often take for granted every day.

So looking forward, what can be done to make 2012 different than 2011? Well, first off we’ve got new economic reports coming out focused on the state of America’s energy transmission infrastructure as well as marine and air ports. The information provided will round out previous economic studies we’ve released in the Failure to Act serious and put us on track to release the 2013 Report Card.

From everyone at ASCE, happy holidays. We hope you enjoy the season and the festivities, and we’re looking forward to working for a safer, more reliable, and economically sound future in 2012.