Author: clara.kinney@agc.org
Congress is now working through the fiscal year (FY) 2027 appropriations process, the annual process lawmakers use to fund federal agencies and programs for the upcoming fiscal year. Each year, Congress is supposed to pass 12 appropriations bills covering different parts of the Federal Government, including transportation, defense, energy and water, homeland security, and others. So far, the House has moved faster than the Senate, with several bills advancing through committee and some reaching the House floor, but the process remains far from complete. The Senate, meanwhile, has left Washington for the July Fourth recess without advancing its first round…
As Congress and federal agencies debate federal funding to states for construction projects, it can be difficult to track how much federal money is actually reaching each state. AGC of America has developed a new tool to help members view federal construction funding allocations to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. AGC is the first major construction association to succinctly capture this comprehensive information for its members. The tracker compiles funding data from federal programs that support AGC’s four construction divisions, as well as workforce development and educational programs. Based on information from USASpending.gov, the tool…
On June 26, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee released its Water Resources Development Act of 2026 (WRDA 2026) with bipartisan support. WRDA is authorized every two years and provides critical funding for our nation’s aging water infrastructure, including inland waterways, coastal harbors and ports, locks and dams, and flood control protections. WRDA authorizes projects that will make improvements to our harbors and inland waterways which will help ensure construction materials make it to the job site in a timely manner. The House version of WRDA 2026 would authorize 131 new feasibility studies and 10 new projects. AGC previously shared…
The latest: On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, struck down the federal limits on how much national political party committees, such as the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), may spend in coordination with their own candidates for federal office. The ruling: In National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Commission, the Court ruled that the coordinated expenditure limits violate the First Amendment. What changes: National party committees have long been permitted to raise substantially more money from individual donors than federal candidates can accept directly. Before Tuesday’s ruling, however,…
AGC of America secured a major legal victory in its continuing fight to protect members from unlawful federal regulatory overreach. On June 24, a federal court threw out three provisions of a Davis-Bacon rule challenged by AGC and its co-plaintiffs. In 2023, AGC, AGC of Texas, J. Lee Milligan, Inc. and the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce filed a narrowly tailored lawsuit against the Department of Labor to block the implementation of certain provisions of the Biden-era rule that stretched the law beyond the limits set by Congress. The association took issue with parts of the rule that would have expanded…
On June 22, Congressman David Kustoff (R-TN) joined representatives from AGC of America, AGC of Tennessee, and Brasfield & Gorrie for a tour of their Third Street Bridges project in Memphis, Tennessee. The project will help ensure safe and reliable movement through a key corridor in the Memphis region and replace bridges that are over 100 years old. During the visit, project leaders provided an overview of the work underway and discussed the project’s importance to local quality of life, commerce, and long-term infrastructure needs. The tour also provided an opportunity to discuss how certainty from last year’s tax bill…
On June 5, 2026, the House Armed Services Committee passed the National Defense Authorization Act of 2027 (NDAA 2027) out of committee by a vote of 44 to 12. On June 10, 2026, the Senate Armed Services Committee passed the Senate version of the bill by a vote of 18-9. The NDAA is one of the few bills Congress must pass every year and funds the United States military and Department of War construction projects for the upcoming fiscal year. AGC is engaged in the NDAA process in both the House and Senate and takes any attempt to add harmful…
On June 9, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 5408, the Faster Labor Contracts Act (FLCA), by a vote of 230-193. In a key vote letter sent to all 435 House offices, AGC of America expressed its opposition to the bill, citing concerns that it would significantly alter the collective bargaining process by shortening negotiation timelines and increasing the likelihood of government-imposed contracts through binding arbitration. While the House vote was disappointing, AGC will continue to advocate on this issue as the bill moves to the Senate. Members can support these efforts by participating in AGC’s legislative action alert…
On June 22, Congressman Dale Strong (R-Ala.) joined representatives from AGC of America and Alabama AGC for a project tour in Huntsville, Alabama, by Lee Builders providing an opportunity to discuss the importance of infrastructure investment and economic development in one of the country’s fastest-growing regions. The tour featured the $13.2 million Ditto Landing Event Center, which will serve as a new community gathering and event space along the Tennessee River, supporting tourism, economic development, and quality-of-life improvements in the region. The tour also provided an opportunity to discuss the ongoing surface transportation reauthorization process and the importance of providing…
AGC of America, AGC of Indiana, and the Indiana Constructor’s Inc. have come together to sign an amicus brief that will explain the benefits of associational standing to the Indiana Supreme Court. Beyond the benefit to the members, associational standing allows the court to benefit from the resources, experience, and expertise of the association. It also allows for a court to address disputes involving multiple members at the same time, promoting judicial economy. Associational standing is the doctrine that allows trade associations like AGC to represent their members in court. Without it, members would have to litigate on their own…