ASCE-Broward County Branch

This past weekend, I had the pleasure to attend the ASCE Florida Section Government Relations Training Session in Orlando. The Session went over the upcoming 2010 Florida Legislative Session in March and April, the ASCE Key Contacts Program for Congress, and how to get involved in the current issues that directly relate to Civil Engineering. Leaving the Session I wondered, “Do our members know who their representatives are on the National Level?” Below is a list of the local Representatives at the Federal level:

US Senate

U.S. Senator*	Mel Martinez	6 Year Term
U.S. Senator*	Bill Nelson	6 Year Term
** At Large.
US Congress

U.S. Representative District 17	Kendrick B. Meek	2 Year Term
U.S. Representative District 19	Robert Wexler	2 Year Term
U.S. Representative District 20	Debbie Wasserman Schultz	2 Year Term
U.S. Representative District 21	Lincoln Diaz-Balart	2 Year Term
U.S. Representative District 22	Ron Klein	2 Year Term
U.S. Representative District 23	Alcee L. Hastings	2 Year Term

Now that you know your representative, start building relationships with them. Set up a meeting with your representative and get to know their staff. Discuss why your side of an issue is the right one. Find your voice. To be more effective, discuss an issue that they are specifically focused on. At a minimum sign up to become a Key Contact. ASCE National’s goal is to have 10% of ASCE members be a Key Contact in each congressional district. There are 493 Key Contacts and 7,155 total ASCE Members in Florida. Only 4-9% of ASCE members are Key Contacts in the Districts covering Broward County. Sign up at http://www.asce.org/pressroom/publicpolicy/keycont.cfm so that we can assist ASCE National with reaching their goal.