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February 9, 2012

The Senate agreed by a vote of 85–11 to begin considering its transportation reauthorization bill, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (S. 1813). The bipartisan effort is a striking contrast to the House's American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act of 2012 (H.R. 7), which is also expected to hit the floor next week but has garnered no Democratic support and has come under fire from conservative factions within the GOP.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved by a vote of 4–1 the first licenses to build reactors in more than 30 years. The reactors will be built from a standardized design that promises to speed construction and reduce costs. NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko was the sole dissenter, objecting on the grounds that the NRC has yet to finalize post-Fukushima safety enhancements. Nuclear energy currently provides about 20% of the United States' electricity.

January 25, 2012

NSPE joined more than 1,000 professional, trade, and non-profit organizations; businesses; and labor groups in sending a letter to Congress urging expedient passage of a long-term transportation reauthorization bill. The current law expires on March 31. The letter, part of the U.S.

January 10, 2012

NSPE Senior Manager of Government Relations Sarah Ogden participated in a Council on Federal Procurement of Architectural and Engineering Services meeting. NSPE is a founding member of COFPAES, an organization dedicated to protecting and promoting the Brooks Act (PL 92-582) and the use of qualifications-based selection.

December 23, 2011

NSPE submitted comments on the 2013 federal locality pay program at the request of the Office of Personnel Management. OPM solicits comments from NSPE annually, when the agency must prepare a congressionally mandated report to the president that compares pay rates for federal employees with rates paid to non-federal workers in each locality.

December 9, 2011

The Federal Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Portfolio, a White House report cataloging all federal investments in STEM education, found that federal agencies are investing $3.4 billion in 252 STEM education programs, with only modest overlap in investments and no duplication in programs.

December 7, 2011

NSPE signed on to a joint letter with the American Institute of Architects, American Council of Engineering Companies, Associated General Contractors of America, American Subcontractors Association, and other industry organizations asking Congress and the president to enact legislation that would help create jobs in the design and construction industry.

November 21, 2011

The president signed H.R. 674 into law, finalizing the repeal of a requirement that federal, state, and certain local governments withhold as tax 3% of all payments made to government contractors.

November 16, 2011

After a five-year battle, NSPE helped overturn an onerous tax-withholding mandate that would have placed significant financial and administrative burdens on engineering firms and other businesses that contract with the government. H.R.

November 15, 2011

Senior Manager of Government Relations Sarah Ogden represented NSPE at a Coalition for National Science Funding meeting, where NSF Assistant Director for the Engineering Directorate Thomas Peterson discussed NSF programs that focus on innovation in engineering.

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