Author: agcnews
Construction employment in July continued to trail pre-pandemic levels in 15 states as contractors struggled to find qualified workers to fill openings, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America today. Association officials called on government officials to allow employers to sponsor more foreign-born workers and support more career and technical education to broaden opportunities for individuals to gain construction skills. “Although demand for projects is strong, there are too many states where contractors can’t find enough workers,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “The high level of openings and low unemployment…
The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, released the following statement in response to the release of new federal rules that will soon require procurement officials to impose project labor agreements for federal construction projects valued at $35 million or more: “Today’s proposed rules requiring procurement officials to impose project labor agreements for federal construction projects will prevent most contractors from bidding and will harm the disadvantaged firms that contracting rules are meant to help. Read more.
The Senate voted in line with AGC to overturn the Biden administration’s onerous NEPA rule to restore certainty for the construction industry and the environmental permitting process. On August 4, the United States Senate approved on a 50-47 vote a joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the Biden Administration’s NEPA rule. AGC supports overturning this onerous NEPA regulation because doing so would restore certainty for the construction industry and ensure that infrastructure projects are not needlessly delayed without jeopardizing important environmental protections. The joint resolution, championed by Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), included the support of every Republican senator and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.). AGC previously reported on…
On August 8, AGC submitted comments in response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed revision to the rule implementing the Clean Water Act (CWA) section 401 certification process, which provides for state review of federal CWA licenses or permits. The proposal rule if finalized would replace the 2020 rule that is currently in effect and would expand the scope of state and tribal reviews. The proposal goes beyond prior interpretations of the statute and includes many “firsts” that stretch the scope of the review beyond Congressional intent. The proposal would require states and tribes to evaluate “the activity as a whole”…
Trusting that your fellow contracting party will act ethically and in good faith is essential. Aligning the parties’ interests with the project’s success creates the right foundation to build successfully. Setting the right tone and expectations between party relationships is one of the reasons that ConsensusDocs contracts have been used on construction projects worth more than $50 billion but have yet to be the subject of a reported court decision. In most but not all states, a duty of good faith in contract performance is implied by the courts. Notwithstanding, the very first provision in all ConsensusDocs agreements explicitly states…
Prices of Concrete Products and Some Building Materials Continue to Rise, While Diesel Fuel, Asphalt, Lumber and Some Metals Fall in Month of July The price of materials and services used in nonresidential construction fell 1.3 percent last month, while contractors’ bid prices rose 5.4 percent, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released today. Association officials noted that, despite the monthly decline, materials prices remain high and the availability of certain key materials erratic. Read more
On August 4, AGC announced its opposition to the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act” as agreed to by Senator Manchin and Senator Schumer and outlined the association’s significant concerns to Congress. As written, the legislation would: While many of the provisions in the original “Build Back Better Act,” such as the Greenhouse Gas Performance Measure, were ultimately dropped, AGC is still concerned about the remaining provisions and their potential impact on the industry. As such, AGC announced that we are reserving the right to key vote—or record elected officials’ votes for the education of AGC members—final passage of the legislation, or any amendments that…
During the week of July 25, the House and Senate passed AGC-backed legislation—the CHIPS Act of 2022—that will provide $39 billion for the building, improvement, and expansion of semiconductor manufacturing plants across the nation. The construction of these facilities will also spur broader economic development and new, long-term construction jobs. For example, to support these new facilities: In addition, these investments will lead to the construction of new schools, commercial buildings, and more to accommodate growing communities. President Biden is set to sign the bill into law on August 9th.
Construction firms added 32,000 jobs in July as the sector’s unemployment rate fell to 3.5 percent and the number of unfilled construction positions approaches record levels, according to an analysis of federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the job gains were welcome news but would have been higher if firms could find more workers to hire. “Construction firms are doing their best to add new workers to keep pace with strong demand for construction,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. “Despite the month’s big gains, the industry’s job…
On July 27, the Department of Transportation (USDOT) published a Request for Information on the Build America, Buy America Act (BABA) requirements included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that specified a new category of construction materials used for projects be produced in the United States. Specifically, they are asking: In May, the Department announced 180-day delay of the new BABA requirements. AGC helped lead an effort with 41 other national organizations calling on the Administration to extend the 180-day BABA waiver to ensure that, in the meantime, projects are not needlessly delayed. AGC continues to be concerned about the current availability and pricing of construction materials…