An “above average” hurricane season is expected for the Atlantic Basin -- which includes the entire East Coast and Gulf Coast of the United States -- this year according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center – a division of the National Weather Service.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed on May 2, 2011, a new draft “Guidance on Identifying Waters Protected by the Clean Water Act.”  The proposed guidance intends to clarify the extent of federal control over construction work in “waters of the United States,” which has been a continued source of confusion following competing decisions in two U.S. Supreme Court cases.

Kathy Hochul (D) won a special election Tuesday to replace former New York Representative Chris Lee (R), who resigned earlier this year. Hochul beat assemblywoman Jane Corwin (R) in a hotly contested race.

On May 25, by a vote of 40-57, the Senate voted down the House-passed fiscal year 2012 budget resolution.  Five Republicans - Scott Brown (Mass.), Olympia Snowe (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Susan Collins (Maine), and Rand Paul (Ky.) - and every Democrat voted against the budget. 

As AGC members deployed on Capitol Hill this week to urge their members of Congress to enact a timely multi-year surface transportation reauthorization bill, Senate Environment and Public Works  (EPW) Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Ranking Member James Inhofe (R-Okla.), along with Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Ranking Member David Vitter (R-La.), issued a statement (link to attachment) on Wednesday saying that that have made “great progress” in moving a surface transportation reauthorization bill. 

Congress this week passed the 19th short-term extension of the Federal Aviation Administration authorization.  The extension, which runs through June 30, 2011, extends Airport and Airway Trust Fund taxes and Airport Improvement Program contract authority. 

The House approved an amendment by Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) to the FY 2010 Defense Authorization bill that would bar federal agencies from requiring the corporate disclosure of campaign donations as a condition for getting federal contracts.

AGC member and Municipal & Utilities Division Chair Mike Murphy (Turner Murphy Company, Rock Hill, S.C.) testified in favor of repealing the 3 percent withholding at a hearing before the Contracting and Workforce Subcommittee of the House Small Business Committee.

The House cosponsor number has grown from 36 during the week of the AGC convention to 128 this week.  This week’s effort was aided by visits during the Transportation Construction Coalition Fly-in where AGC members met with members of Congress on funding for transportation investment, water infrastructure investment and the repeal of the 3 percent withholding law.

AGC prepared an outline of upcoming special elections in California, New York and Nevada.