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White House Taskforce on Pipeline Cyber Attack The investigation into a major cyber-attack on the largest U.S. pipeline continued this week as the White House created an inter-agency task force to tackle the problem. The task force worked through the weekend to address the breach, including exploring options for lessening its impact on the energy…

American Rescue Plan The Biden administration will begin distributing the $350 billion, provided by the American Rescue Plan, to states and local governments this month. The Treasury Department said that states that were hit the hardest economically by the pandemic would be the first to receive the funds. The states that have a net increase…

Debt Limit Deadline The White House might be forced to deal with the debt limit before the August recess.  Treasury Secretary Yellen said that the federal government could run out of borrowing room as early as this summer, contradicting some analysts who have said Treasury’s large cash balance could provide a cushion well into the…

Sens. Marshall, Burr, and Scott’s Opposition Letter to OSHA’s ETS for COVID-19 On May 3, 2021, Sens. Marshall (R-KS), Burr (R-NC), and Scott (R-SC) sent an opposition letter to U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Walsh regarding an issuance of an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) for COVID-19 by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). Per…

U.S. House Requests $14.9 Billion in Earmarks Members of the U.S. House have requested $14.9 billion in spending on earmarked projects for a transportation bill that will be the vehicle for President Biden’s economic agenda.  Republicans joined Democrats in making use of the new earmark process, inaugurated after the practice was effectively banned for a…

This Week in Congress The House and Senate were not in session this week, but the fate of President Biden’s $4 trillion economic vision for the U.S. now rests with members of Congress turning his infrastructure and social-spending plans into legislation that can get through a narrowly divided Congress. Congress approved his $1.9 trillion coronavirus-relief…

ASA Supports Continued Investment in Surface Transportation Funding ASA joined the Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) in applauding the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure’s work last year on the $1.5 trillion Moving Forward Act, H.R. 2. This legislation marked the broadest and most robust proposed levels of federal investment in the nation’s transportation infrastructure ever…

ASA Supports Exemption Legislation for Increasing Bond Thresholds ASA, along with the Surety & Fidelity Association of America (SFAA) and the National Association of Bond Producers (NASBP), commend Chairwoman Velazquez (D-NY) and Rep. Donalds (R-FL) for the introduction of H.R. 2949. This legislation will ensure essential payment protections for subcontractors, suppliers, and workers and ensure…

President Biden Issues Executive Order Increasing Minimum Wage for Federal Employees This update is from SESCO Management Consultants, ASA’s Human Resource partner. President Biden has issued Executive Order 14026, which increases the minimum wage for workers on or in connection with a federal government contract to $15.00 as of January 30, 2022, with annual increases…

SUBExcel 2022 Registration Opens June 15th! ASA is proud to announce that SUBExcel 2022 will take place March 9-12, 2022 in Miramar Beach, FL. Mark your calendars today for this incredible event and start planning now to bring your entire family to the beach! Event highlights include: Speakers and educational sessions that can change the…