Author: agcnews

On March 20, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order titled Eliminating Waste and Saving Taxpayer Dollars by Consolidating Procurement centralizing the procurement of common goods and services under the General Services Administration (GSA). The order directs agencies to transition their procurement functions to GSA, particularly for the ten categories defined by the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) category management initiative, including Facilities & Construction. Federal agencies will need to justify keeping these ten categories within each agency. The Executive Order requires agencies to conduct a review of their category management and report to GSA within 60 days, and…

On April 2, President Trump announced he is using his authority under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose broad tariffs on nearly all imports entering the United States. The new policy means that at a minimum there will be an additional 10% tax on ALL imports coming into the U.S. These tariffs will stack on top of any already in place. In addition to this blanket tariff, the President announced “reciprocal” tariffs targeting more than 100 trading partners. The term “reciprocal” suggests these tariffs are based on foreign duties imposed on U.S. goods, however, the tariff rates…

Construction employment increased in 189, or 53 percent, of 360 metro areas between February 2024 and February 2025, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government employment data. Association officials warned that new and increased tariffs announced yesterday are likely to cause some projects to be paused or canceled and could lead to fewer areas having job gains. “Falling business and consumer confidence, along with rising costs from tariffs, are causing projects to be delayed or canceled,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “These challenging conditions are leading to less widespread job growth…

Construction spending increased 0.7 percent from January to February, even as contractors kept hiring and job opening rates at low levels, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of two new government reports. Association officials noted that industry hiring appears to be slowing as demand for most types of construction “cools.” “Construction spending rebounded in February, following widespread severe weather that may have slowed projects in January,” said, Ken Simonson, chief economist of the Associated General Contractors of America. “Investment remains positive compared to a year ago but the growth rate for all major categories has…

Construction employment increased in 31 states and the District of Columbia in February from a year earlier, while 27 states plus D.C. added construction jobs between January and February, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America today. Association officials noted that fewer states are adding construction jobs compared to last year amid growing market uncertainty. “Contractors in a majority of states added workers in February compared to the previous month and a year ago,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “But the increases have been getting less widespread as concern grows…

AGC has always been proactive in our engagement with all branches of government on behalf of the construction industry. You might recall that we recently reported on: Recently the Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy came to the AGC Townhouse to discuss the construction industry’s deregulatory priorities. The Office of Advocacy is an independent voice for small business within the federal government. They work to ensure that small business views are heard during the regulatory process and that small business stakeholders have the tools they need to advance the small business economy. They also provide resources for small businesses who…

In a win for AGC and construction companies, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has issued an interim final rule (IFR) on March 21st that removes the requirement for U.S. companies to report their beneficial ownership information (BOI) under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). In the IFR the Trump administration revised the definition of “reporting company” to mean only entities formed under the law of a foreign country and operating in the U.S., essentially exempting all businesses created in the U.S. from these reporting requirements. The BOI rule, originally was set to require companies to report detailed ownership information to FinCEN,…

On March 27, former Congressman Marc Molinaro (R-NY) appeared before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs for his confirmation hearing to lead the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). During his testimony, Molinaro emphasized a commitment to enhancing transportation safety, modernizing infrastructure, and spur economic development. Molinaro highlighted the need to address transit reliability concerns and stressed the importance of innovation, technology, and streamlining the permitting process to make it happen. Throughout Molinaro’s public service, his focus on individuals with disabilities has been at the forefront. It was the same during his hearing, where he testified that he is…

Construction employment increased in 189, or 53 percent, of 360 metro areas between January 2024 and January 2025, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government employment data. Association officials said the employment figures, while still mostly positive, have slowed recently and likely reflect uncertainty about the impact of the Trump administration’s trade and labor policies. “Construction activity has slowed in the past year but remains positive in a majority of metro areas,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “But the prospect of higher costs and shrinking export markets due to tariffs, along…

Read how AGC has halted the expansion of labor requirements and pushed back against vague environmental rules that exposed contractors to costly penalties and litigation. Our latest AGC Advocacy Wins handout highlights six major court and regulatory victories, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s commitment to revise the waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule, the halt of Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) enforcement, the rescission of FHWA’s greenhouse gas performance measure rule, and a temporary block of the AGC-challenged provisions of DOL’s Davis-Bacon Act expansion rule.  From compelling federal agencies to remove their requirement to use project labor agreements in…