Government Affairs November 2005

 

IN THE NOVEMBER ISSUE …

 

1. National Surveyor’s Week Resolution

2. COFPAES News

3. Safe Communities Act of 2005

4. JGAC Meeting Review

5. PAC Auction in Orlando

 

 

National Surveyor’s Week Resolution. The long awaited National Surveyor’s Week Resolution was formally introduced in Congress on October 26. Its bill number is H. Res. 518, and it was assigned to the House Government Reform Committee. We will need everyone’s help in moving the resolution forward. Look for information on who to contact on the Government Reform Committee and how to reach them. We are also working on moving a similar resolution through the Senate with a goal of having the President sign the resolution into law by March 2006.

 

COFPAES News. COFPAES staff recently met to discuss several important issues. One of the issues discussed related to Federal Prison Industries and the Bush Administration’s efforts to submit a substitute for the House Federal Prison Industries Reform legislation, H.R. 2965. The substitute bill appears to have been drafted by career management staff of FPI and the Bureau of Prisons and completely rewrites H.R. 2965. Several prominent House Members wrote to the Attorney General and voiced their displeasure with the proposed substitute.

 

Safe Communities Act of 2005. A bill working its way through Congress may give work to surveyors around the country.  The Safe Communities Act of 2005 (H.R. 3524), among other things, sets forth federal funding to states and local governments for: (1) developing a comprehensive land use plan and integrating natural hazard mitigation and security plan elements into state and local comprehensive plans; (2) assessing, inventorying, or mapping critical public infrastructure; (3) developing geographical information systems; (4) acquiring scenario planning, or risk assessment technology; (5) reviewing building codes, zoning, land use regulations, and related state legislation; (6) implementing crime prevention through environmental design initiatives; (7) assessing land use risk; (8) incorporating mitigation and security elements in transportation plans, facilities, and operations; (9) encouraging interagency cooperation; particularly between first-responders and state and local planning agencies; and (10) identifying natural hazard areas and integrating them into comprehensive plan updates.

We will analyze the legislation to determine if language should be proposed which would make the bill beneficial to our members.

 

JGAC Meeting Review. The Joint Government Affairs Committee had its meeting on October 21 as part of the ACSM Fall Meeting. At the meeting we determined that it would be beneficial to all of our members if we picked a specific day each year to have our Lobby Day; that way, members know the date well in advance and can make appropriate arrangements. From now on, the last Thursday in September each year will be Lobby Day and the day before will be set aside as our prep day.

At the request of COFPAES, we discussed changes that we would like to see in the Brooks Act. We are determining whether it would be beneficial to reopen the Brooks Act for federal review.

 

We discussed the status of the FEMA Multi-Year Flood Hazard Identification Plan. There are several problems with the maps being produced by FEMA through this program, and we’ve voiced our concerns to the appropriate Members of Congress and the federal government. The Multi-Year Flood Hazard Identification Plan is on the FEMA website at: www.fema.gov/fhm/mh_mhip_ver1_5.shtm. ACSM members are encouraged to review the MHIP to see when FEMA will be working on maps in their area and to give FEMA feedback on the plan.

 

A copy of the Joint Government Affairs Committee Semi-Annual Report will appear on the ACSM website in the near future.

 

PAC Auction in Orlando. We have a number of very important issues that we are working on this year, including the passage of H. Res. 518 regarding National Surveyor’s Week. Through our PAC we are able to help our friends who, in turn, help us. The PAC needs your help. It’s not too early to start contributing to the PAC Auction in Orlando. Please contact Trish Milburn trisha.milburn@acsm.net  or 240-632-9716, ext. 105 to find out how you can help. Thanks!