The House and Senate this week appointed 47 conferees, including U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, to the conference committee that will craft the final version of the surface transportation authorization. Of the 47 conferees, there are 14 senators and 62 members of the House.

The Senate-passed transportation bill includes the RESTORE Act, which would dedicate 80 percent of the Clean Water Act penalties issued in the wake of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill to be split among the five Gulf Coast states, including Alabama.

Another key provision of importance would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating coal ash as a hazardous material.

It is not yet clear when the first conference committee will be held. It is anticipated that the chairman of the conference will be named by the Senate.

In addition to Shelby, other senators on the committee include Barbara Boxer (D-CA); Max Baucus (D-MT); Jay Rockefeller (D-WV); Dick Durbin (D-IL); Tim Johnson (D-SD); Chuck Schumer (D-NY); Bill Nelson (D-FL); Bob Menendez (D-NJ); James Inhofe, (R-OK); David Vitter (R-LA); Orrin Hatch (R-UT); Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) and John Hoeven, (R-ND).

House members on the committee include John L. Mica (R-FL); Don Young (R-AK); John Duncan (R-TN); Bill Shuster (R-PA); Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV); Rick Crawford (R-AR); Jaime Herrara Beutler (R-WA); Larry Buchson (R-IN); Richard Hanna (R-NY); Steve Southerland (R-FL); James Lankford (R-OK); Reid Ribble (R-WI); Dave Camp (R-MI); Pat Tiberi (R-OH); Doc Hastings (R-WA); Rob Bishop (R-UT); Ralph Hall (R-TX); Chip Cravaack (R-MN); Fred Upton (R-MI) and Ed Whitfield (R-KY).

The Business Council of Alabama joined a multi-industry coalition of 154 associations and chambers of commerce, led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in writing a letter in support of H.R. 2008, the Keeping Politics Out of Federal Contracting Act of 2011.

The bill was introduced Thursday at a hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

As stated in the letter, "H.R. 2008 is offered in response to a draft Executive Order under consideration by the Obama Administration and, if enacted, would preclude the White House from forcing federal agencies to require entities to disclose their political spending - as well as that of their officers and directors - as a condition of participating in the federal procurement process.

"The legislation would help ensure that political spending - or the lack thereof - continues to play no role in federal contracting decisions. The legislation reaffirms the principle, currently embodied in federal procurement laws, that the Executive Branch has an obligation to procure goods and services based on the best value for the American taxpayer, and not on political considerations. It also reaffirms the principle that the Administration cannot enact through executive fiat legislation that Congress has considered and explicitly rejected."

Preparations Under Way for New Union Vote Rules Next Week
Bloomberg reports the "National Labor Relations Board rules to speed up union organizing elections" are set to go into effect a next week. "The regulation will simplify union election procedures and shorten the time for balloting after employees request a vote." Unions believe "that reducing the time to hold an election limits the ability of managers to intimidate workers. Some Republicans and business groups such as the National Association of Manufacturers counter that the labor board has created 'ambush elections.'"

NAM Continues Push for MTB Process
In a letter to the editor in Politico this week, the National Association of Manufacturers underscores that "miscellaneous tariff bills are not earmarks and are not limited tariff benefits because once a duty is suspended, any American importer may benefit from it. There is no limit on the number of businesses or importers who can take advantage of the suspended duty."

The National Association of Manufacturers has moved. Their new headquarters are 733 10th Street, NW, Suite 700, Washington, D.C. 20001

The Business Council of Alabama is Alabama's exclusive affiliate to the NAM.

202.224.5744
U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions

202.224.4124
U.S. Rep. Jo Bonner

202.225.4931
U.S. Rep. Martha Roby

202.225.2901
U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers

202.225.3261
U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt

202.225.4876
U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks

202.225.4801
U. S. Rep. Spencer Bachus

202.225.4921
U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell

202.225.2665

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