AMWA continues to encourage its members to reach out to their representatives and senators as soon as possible to express support for WIFIA. The association circulated a sample WIFIA support letter to members earlier this month, and AMWA’s Dan Hartnett ([email protected]) will resend a copy of the draft to members upon request.
It is especially important that representatives and senators on the conference committee tasked with negotiating the final WRDA hear from local utilities in support of WIFIA. The House of Representatives announced its 28 conferees last week, and the list incudes Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-Oh.), a leading WIFIA supporter.
The other House Republicans named to the committee include Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (Penn.), John Duncan (Tenn.), Frank LoBiondo (N.J.), Sam Graves (Mo.), Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.), Candice Miller (Mich.), Duncan Hunter (Calif.), Larry Bucshon (Ind.), Richard Hanna (N.Y.), Daniel Webster (Fla.), Tom Rice (S.C.), Markwayne Mullin (Okla.), Rodney Davis (Ill.), Doc Hastings (Wash.), and Rob Bishop (Utah).
The Democrats serving on the committee are Transportation and Infrastructure ranking member Nick Rahall (W.Va.), Tim Bishop (N.Y.), Peter DeFazio (Ore.), Corrine Brown (Fla.), Eddie Bernice Johnson (Tex.), Donna Edwards (Md.), John Garamendi (Calif.), Janice Hahn (Calif.), Rick Nolan (Minn.), Lois Frankel (Fla.) Cheri Bustos (Ill.), and Grace Napolitano (Calif.).
The U.S. Senate named its 8 conferees to the panel earlier this month, led by Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.). The other senators named to the conference committee were Max Baucus of (D-Mont.), Thomas Carper (D-Del.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), EPW ranking member David Vitter (R-Lou.), John Barrasso (R-Wy.), and James Inhofe (R-Okla.).