Building Americas Future Educational Fund

Programs: Bafef seeks to disseminate information, knowledge, and understanding of the need for and outline of a new national vision for infrastructure that strengthens our cities and states, focuses on economic growth and global competitiveness, job creation, and environmental sustainability. This vision embraces a wide definition of infrastructure from roads and bridges to water and sewer systems, energy systems, buses, trains, ports, airports, levees, dams, schools, and internet broadband. 2014 ushered in a significant change in bafs leadership with former u. S. Department of transportation secretary ray lahood joining as a new co-chair of the organization. Secretary lahood and fellow baf co-chair governor ed rendell joined judy woodruff on pbs newshour to discuss the secretarys new role and the importance of modernizing americas infrastructure. Under the continued leadership of its co-chairs former mayor bloomberg, former governor rendell, and former u. S. Dot secretary ray lahood - bafef continues to remain one of the leading infrastructure educational and advocacy stakeholder groups in washington, dc. Throughout 2014, bafef implemented a multi-pronged educational and advocacy driven strategy of public policy forums, opinion editorials, meetings, speeches, letters and media opportunities to educate policy makers and the media about the need for a long-term transportation plan. Bafefs co-chairs and staff participated in various conferences in washington, d. C. And around the country, including: the brookings institution; american iron and steel institute; eno center for transportation; the democratic policy and communication center; international bridge, tunnel and turnpike association; progressive policy institute; siemens; c-span; liuna; america answers: fix my commute sponsored by the washington post; the u. S. Conference on trade sponsored by the u. S. Commerce department; the u. S. Export-import bank annual conference; the international economic development council; womens transportation seminar; and the national association of regional councils.