Spending a day on Capitol Hill talking with legislators and staff may not seem all that productive for a bunch of engineers from a privately held company. Even some of our own people were skeptical of the value in this challenging economic climate. Yet, as I look back, it was one of the most rewarding professional and personal experiences for me and my team.

In May 2009, 40 members of the Kleinfelder team, predominantly engineers and scientists, packed their bags and flew to Washington, D.C. Our goal was multi-fold. Given the country’s much-needed emphasis on infrastructure improvement and energy, we as a company had a desire to become more politically involved. We were looking for opportunities to deepen our relationship with elected officials, to influence legislation that is beneficial to the industry and our communities, and to introduce our company’s senior leadership to the complex political process. We wanted to make sure that our people understood the need for leadership, not just in the company, but in our communities and industry.

A second, equally important, though coincidental, motive for this visit has more far-reaching impact. In recent months, the American Council of Engineering Companies has outlined several critical industry and infrastructure-related funding bills that are on or should be on the legislative docket this year. A number of issues present immediate challenges to engineering companies if we are to meet the needs of our communities, including the following:

• reauthorization of the highway, transit, and safety bill;
• funding of clean and safe water infrastructure;
• repeal of the 3 percent withholding mandate; and
• maximizing public agencies’ use of private-sector firms.

Our company is deeply involved in transportation, water, and energy. It just made sense that we should take the time to let our congressional representatives know what we think. But, did we really think we could influence even one key congressional member in just one day? The answer will likely surprise even the most cynical individual.

On May 13, our team spread out to knock on doors and attend scheduled meetings on the Hill. In every case, we were impressed with the reception and level of interest demonstrated by legislators and staff. We summarized issues related to water, transportation, and energy, as well as key issues for our industry; answered questions; and offered our services as non-partisan technical advisors to more than 40 congressional members and staff. They listened, and in many cases, we had an opportunity to educate them on critical issues.

For example, two members of my team met with Matthew Weisman, legislative director and counsel for Rep. Harry Mitchell of the 5th District of Arizona. They mentioned House Resolution 275 (HR 275) to repeal the 3-percent withholding tax. While well versed in transportation and water, Weisman was not aware of the issue or pending resolution, nor did he know the position of Rep. Mitchell. Our team gave him a summary of the issues and Weisman promised to follow-up. Two days later, we received an e-mail from him thanking us for our time and announcing that Rep. Mitchell had agreed to co-sponsor HR 275.

Our team members sent me a simple e-mail that exclaimed, “It works.” They had seen the value of becoming involved in the political process. In the days and weeks following our trip, there were a number of instances such as this, and our people are excited to continue the dialogue with representatives on Capital Hill.

Personally, I have been involved with ACEC’s lobbying efforts for a number of years and have visited congressional and senate offices more than a dozen times. I have seen first-hand how the legislative process works, the continuing challenges to the business interests of our industry, and the fact that there are many groups doing the same type of lobbying but from markedly different positions.

Our team has recognized our role and obligation to participate in the legislative process, and the team-building that occurred was unmatched. Engineers must look beyond their ability to develop creative solutions and embrace the stewardship of the industry and our communities as a key priority. Find out how one day on the Hill can facilitate change to a company, an industry, and communities across the country.

Bill Siegel, P.E., is president and CEO of Kleinfelder in San Diego. He can be reached at bsiegel@kleinfelder.com.