CED

October 2013

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Washington Insider A Day in the Life of AED in Washington For effective advocacy in the nation's capital, it's not just what we do, it's how we do it. By Christian Klein I write a lot about what we do for equipment distributors, but not necessarily how we do it. So this month I'm sharing a page from the AED Government Affairs Office calendar. Here's what AED Senior Director of Government Affairs Daniel Fisher (DF) and I (CAK) were doing on your behalf on July 10, an average day in the life of AED's lobbying team: 8:30 a.m.: Breakfast fundraiser for Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) (CAK & DF). AED may disagree with Boxer on some issues, but infrastructure isn't one of them. As Senate Environment & Public Works Committee chairman, she's been an unwavering advocate for road and transit construction programs. Were it not for Boxer's hard work, it is unlikely that last year's highway bill would have gotten done. At this breakfast fundraiser, which AED co-hosted with the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association and the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, we lauded Boxer for her leadership and discussed ways to deal with the looming Highway Trust Fund (HTF) crisis. 10 a.m.: Construction lobbyists' meeting with Sen. Debbie Stabenow's (D-Mich.) transportation legislative assistant (CAK). With outlays significantly exceeding revenues, the HTF is on the verge of bankruptcy. The entire $40 billion annual federal highway program – and $2.5 billion in yearly equipment sales, rental, and product support activity – is in jeopardy. This is just one of dozens of joint meetings AED and a handful of allied organizations have held with key Senate offices this summer to ring alarm bells about the devastating economic consequences of letting the highway program collapse and to discuss ways to put the HTF back on solid fiscal footing. Noon: Lunch with former Rep. Anne Northup (CAK). During her decade in the House, Anne was one of AED's closest allies, thanks in large part to the strong relationships she'd formed with many of our Kentucky members. After leaving Congress in 2006, Anne was appointed to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Her term recently ended and she has signed with a prominent D.C. law firm. Over lunch, we caught up, shared insights about the current political situation, and discussed areas where AED's interests overlap with those of her clients, particularly in the energy sector. Afternoon: Private activity bond (PAB) legislation lobbying visits with various congressional offices (DF). With the federal budget bleeding red ink and infrastructure programs facing across-the-board cuts, AED is promoting innovative financing mechanisms to attract private investment. Lifting the private activity bond cap for water infrastructure projects would generate $5 billion in additional capital annually to rebuild U.S. crumbling drinking water and sewer systems while creating $600 million in new equipment market activity. DF has been lobbying aggressively with our allies to recruit new supporters for the proposal. 2 p.m.: Meeting with Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) lobbyists at AEM Washington office (CAK). AEM is one of AED's closest allies and coalition partners. We meet regularly with Nick Yaksich and Anne Forristall Luke, who head AEM's public policy shop. Today, the topic is tax reform and our efforts to simplify the tax code while protecting the business interest deduction, capital investment tax incentives, like-kind exchange, and LIFO. Over coffee, we share intelligence and data to help strengthen our collective advocacy. Late afternoon: Working at the Capitol Hill Club (CHC) (CAK & DF). The CHC is a convenient place to return phone calls and e-mails between meetings and pick up the latest political gossip from the lawmakers who wander through. 5:30 p.m.: Main Street GOP reception at CHC (CAK & DF). AED's Political Action Committee (PAC) contributes $5,000 per year to Main Street PAC to help elect and re-elect pragmatic, common-sense Republicans. Main Street members share our commitment to strong federal infrastructure programs, progrowth tax reform, and common-sense regulatory policy. The monthly Main Street receptions are a great place to gather intelligence from members of Congress, staffers, and fellow lobbyists; touch base with long-time allies; and build new relationships. The events are also a great opportunity to remind lawmakers of their connections with distributors "back home" and plant the seed for future AED member facility visits. The day's been long and tiring, but exhilarating. We're proud both of what we do for AED and how we do it. Thanks to all the AED members out there who support the association's Government Affairs program. Christian klein (caklein@aednet.org) AED's vice president of Government Affairs and Washington counsel. He can be reached at 703-739-9513. October 2013 | Construction Equipment Distribution | www.cedmag.com | 53 53_washington insider_KP.indd 53 9/27/13 12:40 PM

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