Author: agcnews

This week the Trump administration released more details on the steel and aluminum tariffs by publishing a list of steel and aluminum derivative products that will be affected by the tariffs. Specifically, they released the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) and corresponding HTS item for each material. You can match the HTS item to the material at https://hts.usitc.gov/. You may recall, AGC previously reported on President Trump’s 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports to “close existing loopholes and exemptions.” Be sure to sign up for AGC’s Webinar: The Art of Dealing with Tariffs taking place on February 27 from 3:00-4:00 pm. This webinar will…

At a Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works hearing on February 19, AGC’s General Counsel Leah Pilconis highlighted the urgent need for reforms to prevent lawsuits from stalling critical infrastructure projects. AGC underscored how prolonged litigation—sometimes filed years after projects have received final approvals—creates uncertainty, disrupts workforce planning, and drives up construction costs. To address this, AGC urged Congress to standardize the 150-day limited judicial review period (deadline for filing claims) for all critical infrastructure projects and eliminate unnecessary procedural hurdles that create prolonged uncertainty. While Congress has protected some infrastructure projects with a 150-day limit on legal challenges (federally funded…

Through an Executive Order, Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation, President Trump began his promised efforts to reduce the burden of regulation on the public. While some may recall Executive Order 13777’s 2 for 1 mandate during his first term, President Trump has thrown his cap over the wall by calling for ten deregulatory actions for every new regulation issued. To meet this goal, the newly reduced federal regulatory agencies are set to explode with activity. Stakeholders should know that deregulation is no faster or more efficient of a process than regulation is. Agencies still must seek notice and comment from the public and interest groups are free to challenge deregulatory…

On February 19, the United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions held a confirmation hearing for former Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.) to lead the United States Department of Labor (DOL). During the testimony, Chavez-DeRemer spent time distancing herself from prior support as a Congresswoman from the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, the need for a skilled workforce and a regulatory climate that spurs economic growth. Chavez-DeRemer highlighted the critical challenges employers and workers alike are facing today and the need to create regulatory environments that address this. The DOL will play a critical role in revising and…

The Corporate Transparency Act (the CTA) is once again in effect after a Texas district court lifted the last remaining block on its enforcement on February 17, 2025, in Smith, et al. v. U.S. Department of the Treasury, et al. As a result, most companies subject to the rule, including covered contractors, must comply with a new reporting deadline of March 21, 2025. Contractors should prepare now—and AGC urges members to share by February 26 their ongoing costs and compliance burdens to strengthen AGC’s legal arguments as it continues fighting the CTA’s constitutionality in court. Stay tuned for further updates. Several lawsuits are ongoing challenging the constitutionality…

In this episode of ConstructorCast, host Max Nelson engages with Adam Stark, founder of Jet.Build and host of the Veterans Who Build podcast, and Jesse Gemberling-Johnson, a Marine Corps veteran and Chief Talent Officer at mcfa. They explore the challenges veterans encounter when transitioning to civilian life, the alignment between military skills and those required in construction, and strategies contractors can employ to effectively recruit and retain veteran talent. The discussion highlights the often untapped potential of veterans in the construction industry, emphasizing the value they bring through their discipline, leadership, and technical skills. The guests share insights into initiatives…

U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) have reintroduced the Improve and Enhance the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) Act to build the U.S. workforce and help connect individuals to good jobs. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.). WOTC is an important tax preference that has been utilized for nearly three decades to build workforces in local communities across the country. AGC appreciates that this legislation takes important steps to strengthen WOTC, the first significant improvements since the credit’s creation in 1996. The benefits to improving and expanding WOTC are countless. WOTC-eligible workers live in…

AGC of America recently pledged to work with the Trump administration and U.S. Congress to help ensure that employer-sponsored coverage is strengthened and will remain a viable and affordable private-sector health coverage option rather than to search for alternatives to it. Specifically, AGC urges their attention to the following principles that are important to ensuring that employment-based coverage thrives into the future: For more information, please contact Jim Young or Claiborne Guy.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recently announced they are withdrawing the Biden-era highway greenhouse gas rule, and the transportation agency has dropped both of its court appeals in defense of the emissions performance measures. You may recall, AGC has been fighting this rule in Congress, at FHWA, and in the courts. AGC also highlighted our concerns with the rule in our letter to then President-elect Trump. The withdrawal follows two federal district court rulings that deemed the greenhouse gas rule an unlawful overreach of executive power. Judges in both the Texas and Kentucky federal district courts sided with AGC’s arguments,…

As many of you are aware, reform to the National Environmental Policy Act’s (NEPA) environmental review process is a top priority for AGC and the construction industry during this administration. Because so many of our members are rightfully paying attention to this important issue, this article provides an update on NEPA reform efforts by AGC and around the government. At the White House President Trump’s Executive Order, “Unleashing American Energy” included a section aimed at NEPA reform. In the order, the President ordered the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), the White House office in charge of NEPA…