Author: clara.kinney@agc.org
AGC of America has launched a new NDAA & Federal Contractors Resource Page to help construction firms track developments in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and understand how changes could affect federal contracting. The NDAA is one of the few bills Congress passes every year. It sets defense policy priorities and often includes provisions that directly affect federal construction procurement, compliance requirements, small business programs, domestic content rules, and project delivery. Provisions in the NDAA can have significant implications for contractors pursuing and performing federal work. Visitors to this new resource hub can find an overview of the NDAA timeline,…
The U.S. tariff landscape continues to shift, creating additional costs and challenges for construction firms. President Trump has imposed new Section 301 tariffs on imports from 60 major U.S. trading partners, citing concerns over failure to restrict imports of goods made with forced labor. This action follows a United States Trade Representative investigation and a public comment and hearing process. The new tariffs cover economies that account for nearly all U.S. imports and took effect on July 24, 2026, just as the global 10% tariff under Section 122 expired. Many covered imports are now subject to additional duties of 10%…
On July 22, the House of Representatives advanced its version of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 (NDAA) by a vote of 216-212. Congress has passed the NDAA annually for over six decades. It is one of the few must-pass bills Congress considers each year because it authorizes funds for the U.S. military and sets policy priorities for the Department of War. The House version of the NDAA includes key provisions that benefit the construction industry, including: Negotiations on the Senate version of the NDAA are ongoing among Senate leadership, and it remains unclear when the full…
On July 21, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 9770, the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2027, by a 220-205 vote. The legislation would temporarily fund federal agencies through December 4, 2026. If Congress does not complete the fiscal year 2027 appropriations process, government funding expires on September 30. The measure has not yet been enacted into law and now heads to the Senate. The House bill generally continues programs at the rate provided through the fiscal year 2026. However, fiscal year 2026 was also the final year of supplemental advance appropriations provided through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), creating…
AGC has formally endorsed Keith Sonderling’s nomination to serve as U.S. Secretary of Labor, citing his extensive background in employment matters and labor policy. In a letter to Senate HELP Committee leaders, AGC noted that Sonderling’s experience and leadership make him well qualified to guide the Department of Labor as it advances workforce development, job creation, and labor policy priorities. The Association emphasized the Department’s critical role in strengthening workforce training programs and ensuring employers have access to skilled and safe workers. AGC looks forward to Sonderling’s confirmation and to working with him on policies that support the construction industry…
As Congress continues work on the next surface transportation reauthorization bill, AGC has released a new BUILD America 250 Act Scorecard to help members quickly understand how the House legislation compares to the association’s transportation priorities. The scorecard provides a simple, at-a-glance overview of the bill, highlighting where the legislation strongly aligns with AGC priorities, where it makes meaningful progress, and where additional work remains as Congress continues the reauthorization process. Among the bill’s strongest areas are the Highway Trust Fund, funding and program structure, resiliency, and public transit, while workforce, technology, work zone safety, and permitting receive partial marks…
The 2026 AASHTO-AGC-ARTBA Joint Committee regional meetings are underway, with the first meeting taking place on July 14 in Baltimore, Maryland, during the Northeast Association of State Transportation Officials (NASTO) Annual Meeting. The AASHTO-AGC-ARTBA Joint Committee provides a unique forum where state DOT leaders, highway contractors, and transportation industry partners come together to discuss the challenges facing the industry. Each regional meeting centers around a series of discussion papers that encourage collaboration, identify best practices, and help develop recommendations to improve project delivery nationwide. This year’s discussion papers focus on four key topics: AGC members are encouraged to review this…
On July 13, the U.S. Department of War (DoW) announced the immediate suspension of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Phase II requirements, which were set to come into full effect on November 10, 2026. The suspension was filed in response to recent data collected by the Small Business Administration (SBA) that found that CMMC compliance burdens are forcing companies out of the Defense Industrial Base. Contractors should note that this suspension “does not eliminate the requirement for companies to protect federal data”, and contractors “remain contractually obligated to safeguard covered defense information in accordance with DFARS clause 252.204-7012.” According to the…
On July 6, the Department of War (DoW) began requiring contractors to remove all Anthropic products from their systems by September 29, 2026. The requirement stems from DoW’s efforts in April 2026 year to remove Anthropic from government systems due to national security risks. Additionally, the memorandum requires all company products and software services to remove all Anthropic software prior to September 29. As part of the directive, government contractors, suppliers and subcontractors are required to sign a Letter of Understanding (LOU) certifying that they will not use Anthropic as a partner, teammate or subcontractor on their work. Failure to…
AGC of America has joined the newly launched American Alliance for Workforce and Border Security, a coalition of national business organizations urging Congress to pair strong border security with reforms to modernize the nation’s legal immigration system. In a letter to Congress, the coalition calls for sustained border security, employment-based visa reforms that meet workforce needs across all industries, practical solutions to retain experienced workers who have contributed to the U.S. economy, and improvements to the employment eligibility verification system. The coalition’s recommendations align with AGC’s long-standing advocacy for immigration policies that strengthen border security while providing employers with the…