Today we wanted to reach out and give you a quick update on the campaign. We are continuing to take our message across the United States, and since the passage of MAP-21 (the legislation that was signed into law by President Obama on July 6th), we are stressing to the public that the two years of funding will come and go before we know it. Although we feel it is a positive step for the industry, we need to plan for the future.
This week, The Road Connection truck has made an Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa swing. We visited with our friends from American State Equipment, AEM, and media partners in the early part of the week, and we are finishing off the week by participating in the 2012 Road Machinery and Supplies Adventure Tour – a motorcycle rally from La Crosse, Wisconsin to Riverside, Iowa. We are sure that we will have some excellent photos and videos from the tour, so be sure to check out our social media pages for updates.
Finally, there are just a few things that we would like to share with you:
– If you haven’t already seen it, please take a look at our recent blog post about The Road Connection’s response to the highway bill. (http://blog.theroadconnection.org)
– We have a brand new video on our YouTube channel, an interview with Dennis Slater, President of AEM. (www.youtube.com/roadconnectionvideos)
– We are continuously updating our other social media channels, so be sure to take a look at the most recent photos on Facebook (www.facebook.com/theroadconnection), or Flickr (www.flickr.com/theroadconnection), and keep up to date with our travels on Twitter (www.twitter.com/road_connection).
The Road Connection visits AEM
Before heading to La Crosse, Wisconsin to participate in the annual Road Machinery and Supplies motorcycle rally, The Road Connection team made a stop in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to visit campaign supporters at the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) office.
During their time at AEM headquarters, The Road Connection team had an opportunity to speak with the President of AEM, Mr. Dennis Slater, and a member of the AEM public relations team, Ms. Jordanne Kann-Helle. Since long-term legislation was passed earlier in the month, the two organizations discussed how their messaging has changed since the President signed MAP-21 into law on July 6th, 2012.
Both The Road Connection and AEM believe that although this is a step in the right direction for the construction industry, the 27 months of funding doesn’t provide a permanent solution for contractors counting on these federally funded projects. “We are pretty excited about the passage of the bill,” says Slater. “However, at the same time, it’s a two year bill, a stop-gap measure, and a lot has to be done in the next two years to get ready for the next bill,” he adds.
The Road Connection continues to take their message to the streets, urging the public to get informed on the new legislation, and to be cognizant that two years will be here quickly. The team will continue an aggressive letter-writing campaign to lawmakers in Washington, D.C., applauding them for their work on passing a highway bill, but urging them to think ahead so that the industry does not have to rely on short-term extensions once the bill expires.
From Milwaukee, The Road Connection truck heads to La Crosse, Wisconsin and Riverside, Iowa before heading to the annual motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota on August 4th, 2012.
For more information about The Road Connection, please visit www.theroadconnection.org. To follow The Road Connection’s progress, visit blog.theroadconnection.org or facebook.com/theroadconnection.
The Road Connection receives a warm welcome from the AEM staff during their visit to Milwaukee.