Author: agcnews
The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, issued the following statement in reaction to the release today of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) new coronavirus vaccine rule: “This association has been an ardent advocate for the coronavirus vaccine. We were among the first to organize a nationwide coronavirus vaccine awareness week, have worked with the CDC to provide resources and public service ads specific to the construction industry, and continue to take every possible step to urge construction professionals at all levels to get vaccinated. “Instead of providing additional resources and…
Nearly one-fifth of U.S. metro areas lost construction jobs between September 2020 and September 2021, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government employment data released today. Association officials noted that the job losses are occurring in many metro areas as plans to boost investments in infrastructure languish in Washington and firms cope with shortages, delivery delays and construction materials price increases. “Many metro areas are having a hard time getting back to construction employment levels from last fall that were already low because of the pandemic,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “The challenge is…
Total construction spending declined in September for the first time since February, as both residential and nonresidential construction slipped, according to a new analysis of federal construction spending data the Associated General Contractors of America released today. Officials urged the House of Representatives to promptly complete work on the bipartisan infrastructure bill that the Senate passed earlier this year, noting that spending on infrastructure in the first nine months of 2021 fell short of year-earlier levels. “Spending on projects has been slowed by shortages of workers and materials, as well as extended or uncertain delivery times,” said Ken Simonson, the…
The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, issued the following statement in reaction to another delayed vote on the Bipartisan Infrastructure measure in the U.S. House of Representatives: “It is extremely disappointing that some progressive Democrats and the Republican leadership would again delay passage of a much-needed infrastructure bill. This legislation will provide investments that will make our fragile supply chains more efficient while providing a needed boost to economic growth and employment levels. “The Republican leadership chose to urge its members to oppose a bill that President Trump would have proudly signed…
On October 27, the U.S. Occupational and Safety Administration (OSHA) officially signaled that it is moving closer to developing a national workplace heat standard. AGC previously testified against legislation requiring such a standard, citing the industry’s thorough, proactive work in this area and informed lawmakers that quickly establishing a one-size-fits-all national standard to address workplace heat exposure is unwarranted. In addition, AGC has pointed out how the Obama administration’s OSHA previously decided against issuing such a standard, giving existing agency authority to take enforcement action when heat hazards exist on the jobsite. AGC will work with its members, chapters, and coalition partners…
On October 25, the Senate voted 50-41 to confirm President Biden’s nominee to be the Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA. Doug Parker, formerly the chief of California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, as well as serving as deputy assistant secretary for policy at the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) under the Obama administration, was part of the Biden transition team on worker health and safety issues. He will become the first to fill the position since David Michaels left the agency in 2017. Doug’s confirmation could signal the beginning of more regulatory and enforcement activity within OSHA,…
On October 28, AGC along with others called on Congress to extend the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) through the end of the year. Earlier this year, the ERTC was extended through December 2021. However, the bipartisan infrastructure bill moved the expiration date of the credit forward to September 30, 2021. Because the House of Representatives failed to pass this bill in a timely manner, if the bill were to pass today some employers who claim the ERTC in the fourth quarter would face a retroactive tax increase. This outcome was never anticipated and could have a significant adverse impact on construction firms that are, by definition,…
On October 27, Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Carolyn Bourdeaux (D-Ga.) introduced the AGC-backed legislation that would make several categories of infrastructure investments—including transportation projects—and disaster relief explicitly eligible for unspent COVID-19 relief dollars, eliminating ambiguity as to whether such projects could receive these funds. This legislation, led by Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), passed the Senate on October 19.
On October 20, the Federal Highway Administration released fiscal year end estimates on the Highway Trust Fund balance. Here are the fast facts: The House MUST immediately pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to provide long-term funding stability to the highway trust fund, state owners, and the transportation construction industry. The extension of current law that was passed on October 2 expires on October 31. Continuing to hold out on passing this bill and will jeopardize funding stability and construction careers.
Only 14 states and the District of Columbia have added construction jobs since just before the start of the pandemic in February 2020, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that widespread supply chain disruptions amid and the lack of a much-needed federal infrastructure bill have impeded the sector’s recovery. “Construction employment remains below pre-pandemic levels in more than two-thirds of the states,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Supply problems have slowed down many projects and forced contractors to hold down employment, while the lack of…