At the request of ASLA's Federal Government Affairs staff, Congressman Michael McCaul (R,TX) offered an amendment to include "landscape architects" in H.R. 1716, the Green Energy Education Act. H.R. 1716, would allow the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation to provide grants to colleges and universities to improve engineering and architecture education related to the design and construction of high performance buildings. The amendment calls for improving the ability of engineers, architects, "landscape architects" and planners to work together on designing high performance buildings. The amendment passed the House Committee on Science and Technology's by voice vote.

Passage of the McCaul amendment is a great victory for ASLA. Passage of this amendment demonstrates that our federal legislators recognize the many contributions that landscape architects are making in the design and construction of energy efficient buildings.

This bill may soon move to the full House of Representatives for floor action.
For more information on this legislation, visit  www.asla.org/members/publicaffairs/federal.html

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

National ASLA actions from the Government Affairs Office and how it is setting up to help us:

State Priorities

Licensure is the top priority for state advocacy. In 2005, the 50 by 2010 Licensure Campaign reached its halfway point. The progress has been impressive, but with four more years to go, there are still 12 states and the District of Columbia without practice acts. Of course, even those states with practice acts must stay vigilant and actively engaged in legislative activity. Within the next two years, at least nine of the remaining states will have actual legislation pending to establish a practice act. In addition, two other states will be facing sunset review in that time. Even with all of this activity going on, there is so much more we can do. In each of your states, there are issues that affect your practice, and your practice can provide expertise on important issues of the day. The best way to get involved is to get to know your state legislators: Volunteer to campaign for them, visit them to discuss a pressing issue, and invite them to tour a project in their district that they care about. When you develop these relationships, it will be that much easier to discuss issues that directly affect the profession, including licensure.