ASCE OC Government Relations: Legislative Fly-In and Policy Week 2025

On March 26th-28th, the American Society of Civil Engineers hosted its annual Legislative Fly-In and Policy Week in Washington, DC. This exclusive and intensive event allowed attendees to participate in the public policy process and advocacy, enhance their professional development skills, and network with ASCE leaders and infrastructure professionals from across the nation.

ASCE California Delegation in front of Senator Adam Schiff's Office

With the release of the 2025 America's Infrastructure Report Card, delegates shared with their Members of Congress the impactful progress infrastructure investment made (namely the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) in addressing the current and future demands of our communities' transportation networks, water systems, electrical grid, and broadband services, and the critical need to continue these investments to witness further improvement.

Our congressional meetings also covered key topics, including:

• Ongoing support for tax-exempt municipal bonds, along with the expansion of financial resources available to communities and its role in fostering investment in infrastructure development.

• Reauthorizing essential infrastructure programs set to expire in 2026, such as those related to surface transportation, while ensuring sustained federal investment across all infrastructure sectors.

• Investing in resilient infrastructure and implementing the latest building codes and standards.

• The upcoming release of the California State Infrastructure Report Card in Fall 2025.

Left to Right: Dana Robertson, Marionne Lapitan, CA-46 Representative Luis Correa, Natalie Luna, and Elisa De La Pena in front of his Longworth House Office at Capitol Hill

This year, the California delegation comprised 24 delegates across California (ASCE Region 9), including ASCE Orange County Younger Member Forum leaders: Marionne Lapitan, Natalie Luna, and Elisa De La Pena. Advocacy Captains Kenneth Rosenfield and John Kilps led the Senate meetings, and all delegates led the visits for their respective House of Representative district offices in small groups. With a combination of first-time and seasoned attendees, these meetings were productive and impactful, providing valuable resources that stand as a testament to our collective commitment to advancing infrastructure nationwide.

ASCE California Delegation inside the Dirksen Senate Building

2025 America's Infrastructure Report Card Panel

Younger Members During the DC Fly-In Gamechangers Reception 2025

If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about advocacy or getting involved in our ASCE Orange County Government Relations Committee, please contact our Chair, Steven Anderson at grcommittee@asceoc.org!

Finally, please save the date for the 2025 ASCE/APWA California Legislative Day in Sacramento, CA. It is scheduled for Wednesday, June 4th, 2025.

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About the Author:

Marionne Lapitan is a Traffic/ITS Engineer in the Roads & Highways Team at Jacobs. She received her BS in Civil Engineering at CSU Long Beach in 2019 and MS in Civil Engineering at Cal Poly Pomona in 2023. She is currently the ASCE OC Publications Committee Editor-In-Chief and the ASCE Orange County Younger Member Forum President. Actively involved in various professional organizations, she is passionate about designing and building communities, both structurally and socially. She aims to make a difference in the world through civil engineering in hopes of building a brighter future for the next generation. She also enjoys traveling, graphic designing, and reading books in her free time. Marionne can be contacted via ce@marionnelapitan.com or LinkedIn.