ATSSA Signal May June 2020

The Signal | May/June 2020 13 and the RepublicanNational Convention in Charlotte. He said that it’s critical to take every opportunity to interact with national candidates andmembers of Congress to promote roadway safety infrastructure. Headdedthat thosecontactswithcongres - sional leaders and potential administra - tion officials are important for laying the groundwork to support roadway safety measures and as the federal highway bill nears expiration on Sept. 30. “What happens in an election directly impacts funding and policies for years to come,” Smith said. In the 2016 presidential race, both former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and now-President Donald Trump said infra - structure funding was a priority. Unfor - tunately, Trumphasn’t been successful in implementingmuch of what he planned although the issue received renewed attention amid the COVID-19 crisis. Smith said both sides share the blame for the Government Relations The Government Relations Team started 2020 attuned to the election year buzz and when your role is legislative advocacy, that’s prettymuchunavoidable. The team traveled to New Orleans in January for the 50th Annual Convention & Traffic Expo where ATSSA Vice Presi - dent of Government Relations Nathan Smith briefed the Government Relations Committee on where each member of what was then a vast Democrat pres - idential field stood on infrastructure spending. Next, Smith, ATSSA Board Chair Greg Driskell, and Immediate Past Chair Juan Arvizu traveled to Las Vegas for the first presidential candidate forum ever devoted to infrastructure. The Feb. 16 event called “Moving America Forward” included former Vice President Joe Biden, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, former South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and businessman Tom Steyer. While in Vegas, the three ATSSA represen - tatives attended a VIP reception where they chatted with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who has been rumored to have presidential aspirations of his own. They also interacted with members of Congress. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Smith planned to travel to this summer’s Demo - cratic National Convention inMilwaukee lack of progress in the early years of the Trump administration. In the large early field for the Democrats in the2020 race, BidenandButtigiegwere talking directly about roadway safety infrastructure funding and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar was seen as favor - able to the issue as well. Smith considered those stands to be progress, especially for several of the candidates explicitly discussing increased funding for the Highway Safety Improve - mentProgram(HSIP)—thefederalprogram that funds roadway safety infrastruc - ture projects. Smith said ATSSAmembers aremaking a difference as they initiate direct contact with legislators at the state level and on Capitol Hill. The Government Relations Team traditionally hosts a Legislative Briefing & Fly-In each spring, but was forced to postpone it to September this year because of the global pandemic. “Our enhanced visibility and engagement of members has helped raise awareness over the past 10 years,” Smith said. “It’s company owners and roadway infrastruc - tureworkers talking about the successes they have had and the positive impacts this funding has made to the safety of people on our roadways that has made a difference in legislative attitudes.”  Election year lobbying key to future government funding Our enhanced visibility and engagement of members has helped raise awareness over the past 10 years.