Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas), chairman of the House Rules Committee, visited Martin Marietta’s Southwest, Cement and Southwest Ready Mix divisional headquarters office in Dallas on Aug. 23.
“We appreciated that the congressman took time out of his very busy August recess to visit our divisional offices,” said David Perkins, vice president of environmental, government and public affairs at Martin Marietta’s Cement and Southwest divisions. “Meeting with Congressman Sessions was a great opportunity to highlight our industry’s importance within the local construction and infrastructure industries.
Sessions, who represents Texas’ 32nd District, also shared his perspectives on the importance of infrastructure investment and tax reform. Perkins said the congressman also highlighted the importance of the aggregates and construction materials industry and its central role in economic growth within the area.
On the East Coast, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), visited the Oxford Quarry, operated by Tilcon New York, a division of Oldcastle Materials Inc. During that meeting, Tilcon staff briefed him on how the operation benefits both the local community and the local economy, including the many public works projects and jobs created by the quarry.
Also, National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA) members and Georgia Construction Aggregates Association Executive Director Jeff Wansley met with Rep. Rob Woodall (R-Ga.), as part of a Georgia Transportation Alliance round table on Aug. 1. Wansley expressed support for regulatory reform initiatives recently passed in the House of Representatives and noted a desire for the Senate to follow suit. The round table focused on issues important to the aggregates industry including transportation investment and tax reform.
Aggregates professionals have the opportunity to meet with their members of Congress and other policymakers during NSSGA’s Legislative and Policy Forum/Fall Board Meeting, Sept. 24-28. Sessions is expected to be one of several key lawmakers who will have a presence during the Forum. Each attendee will have the opportunity to encourage their representatives to take action on overly-burdensome regulations and laws facing their operations in face-to-face meetings scheduled by NSSGA.