Spring 2023
NSPE Now: Policy Perspectives
Advocacy In Action For The PE Community
BY BRANDON SCHALL,ESQ.
Last year, NSPE’s Board of Directors determined six legislative issues that NSPE would focus on in 2023: diversity, emerging technologies, infrastructure, professional licensing, sustainability and resiliency, and the workforce. NSPE Government Relations staff hit the ground running in November to address these issues on the state and federal levels and through coalition activities.
State Societies (Professional Licensure)
NSPE staff has remained very busy during the first five months of 2023, monitoring legislation and working with state affiliates to protect licensure. Additionally, the Alliance for Responsible Professional Licensing (ARPL), a coalition of national associations which includes NSPE as a Steering Committee member, has set up mini-ARPLs with state leaders to help coordinate efforts to protect licensure.
Sustainability and Resilience
NSPE recognizes that attention to sustainable and resilient design practices is critical to the health of the planet and is an integral part of the practice of engineering. Staff put together five updates of interest to professional engineers from the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) between November 6-18. The full updates can be accessed on the NSPE Advocacy webpage in the sustainability and resilience section.
Advocacy Tools and Resources
The Alliance for Responsible Professional Licensing held two webinars, one in November to recap the election results and one in April - APRL 2023: Legislative Update & New Advocacy Tools (NSPE staff served as a copresenter). ARPL also recently launched a Partner Portal, to provide additional resources that can be used by state affiliates. These resources can be accessed on the ARPL website.
State Society Executive Committee President Travis Lowe, Sean Woods, and I participated in a Workability Wednesday Webinar - Election Recap: How Can PEs Prepare for the 2023 Legislative Session on November 30. The webinar focused on the changes in the political landscape in Washington, DC, and in states across the country; using social media as a powerful tool for advocacy campaigns; and how to plan, build, and maintain an effective state advocacy program.
The Committee on Policy and Advocacy (COPA) has created and updated several advocacy resources this year. These resources include the documents "What is a PE?," "Key Issues for the Professional Engineer," and "What a PE Says with Their Signature and Stamp." COPA continues to review and update NSPE’s position statements.
Promoting the Engineering Profession
NSPE actively promoted the profession during 2023 Engineers Week (February 19-25). NSPE worked with US Representative Paul Tonko’s (D-NY) office to introduce and secure sponsors for a House resolution, Supporting the Goals and Ideals of National Engineers Week (H. Res. 177).
The Society held the Federal Engineer of the Year Award ceremony at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. The event highlighted the extraordinary work that PEs are achieving in the federal government. The award was presented to Stephen Craven, Ph.D., P.E., a networking engineer at the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Additionally, NSPE signed an ASAE letter to Congress to inform elected officials that NSPE and other associations are valuable resources for their policymaking efforts.
Federal Engagement (Workforce)
NSPE attended the White House Office of Science and Technology (OSTP) Event on the Administration’s FY 2024 Budget in March. The event program featured comments and a discussion with Arati Prabhakar, OSTP director and assistant to the president for science and technology; Nani Coloretti, deputy director at the Office of Management and Budget; Sethuraman Panchanathan, director of the National Science Foundation; Laurie Locascio, director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology; and Renee Wegrzyn, director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health.
As a member of the Building Resilient Action Coalition, NSPE signed a coalition letter asking Congress to continue to support federal policies that provide critical assistance to improve pre-disaster mitigation. This support includes funding the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Program and FEMA capitalization grants.
NSPE staff also attended the Professional Certification Coalition (PCC) Capitol Hill Day event. The PCC engages in state and federal advocacy, analysis, and thought leadership on legislation affecting nongovernmental certification organizations. Staff met with several congressional offices to discuss the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act bills (S.722 and H.R.1477). The bills would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permit certain expenses associated with obtaining or maintaining recognized postsecondary credentials to be treated as qualified higher education expenses for the purposes of 529 accounts.
NSPE will continue advocating for legislation like the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act and other issues that are of importance to professional engineers, while also working to increase the public’s recognition of the value of competent and ethical engineering.