Author: clara.kinney@agc.org

We need you to TAKE ACTION! Send a prewritten message to your members of Congress urging them to reject the Faster Labor Contracts Act. The Latest Members of Congress from both parties are advancing the so-called Faster Labor Contracts Act, a proposal that would dramatically reshape collective bargaining in the construction industry by speeding up negotiation timelines and increasing the likelihood of government-imposed contracts. This new legislation, if enacted, will: Under the bill, if negotiations stall, contractors could be forced into binding arbitration that imposes contact terms crafted by outside arbitrators rather than negotiated agreements between employers and unions. Why…

AGC of America has joined a coalition amicus brief in Department of the Air Force v. Prutehi Guahan, a case now before the U.S. Supreme Court that could significantly reshape how the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) applies to federal permitting. At issue is whether routine permitting steps, specifically, the submission or renewal of permits under existing regulatory programs, can be treated as a “final agency action” that triggers NEPA review. The case arises from an Air Force hazardous waste facility in Guam, where plaintiffs argued that the Air Force’s application for permit renewal constituted a final agency decision that…

The U.S. House of Representatives is currently considering Fiscal Year 2027 funding for Department of Homeland Security, including provisions impacting H-2B visas relied upon by some construction employers to meet workforce needs. As part of a broad coalition effort, AGC is urging lawmakers to support language that would provide relief from the H-2B statutory visa cap. The provision would allow employers that have successfully received H-2B labor certifications within the past five years to access those same visa positions in FY 2027 without the visas counting against the annual statutory cap. The current H-2B cap has consistently fallen short of…

Recent federal immigration enforcement changes have significantly increased compliance risks for construction employers. In March 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) revised its Form I-9 inspection guidance, reclassifying many errors that were previously treated as technical into substantive violations. In many cases, employers no longer have an opportunity to correct these errors during an ICE I-9 audit. For contractors and subcontractors operating in high-turnover, multi-site environments, these changes materially increase exposure to audits, fines, and project disruption. This two-part webinar series provides practical, construction-focused guidance to help employers understand the new enforcement landscape and strengthen their I-9 and E-Verify…

The tariff landscape continues to evolve following new modifications from President Trump and a new report issued by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). On June 1, 2026, President Trump modified tariffs on aluminum, steel, and copper imports to address national security concerns, encourage domestic investment, and strengthen U.S. production. The modification expands the categories of certain steel and aluminum derivative products that are subject to the temporarily reduced 15% duty. It also adds aluminum lithographic plates and steel racks to the list of covered derivative products. In addition, the threshold for imported products containing aluminum, steel,…

Don’t miss your opportunity to attend the 2026 AGC Federal Contractors Conference, taking place June 8–10, 2026, in Washington, D.C. The Federal Contractors Conference is the premier gathering for federal construction contractors to engage with agency leaders and industry experts on the projects, policies, and contracting issues shaping the federal marketplace. This year’s conference will continue to feature substantive discussions and presentations with key federal agencies procuring construction work. Attendees will gain valuable insight into near- and long-term federal construction opportunities directly from agency decision-makers. In addition to agency perspectives, leading federal construction attorneys and legal experts will provide critical…

AGC of America (AGCA) and AGC of New York State (AGCNYS), and other business and industry groups, filed a lawsuit in federal court over a recently passed New York state law. The law would require payment of New York prevailing wage rates for custom fabrication of materials and components used in public works projects in the state, even when that fabrication occurs offsite and, in some cases, outside New York. The law is scheduled to take effect on June 18, 2026, and contractors would bear the burden of compliance. This case is about more than a wage-and-hour issue. The challenge…

The House passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act by a strong bipartisan vote of 396-13, marking a major step for the federal housing package aimed at making single-family homes more affordable. A key area of disagreement between the House and the Senate was on a proposal to ban institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes that families could buy. This provision was included in the original Senate version of the bill but stripped out of the bill by the House. AGC weighed in on this specific provision out of concern with the unintentional consequences that this could have on…

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is moving forward with a large-scale refund process for duties collected pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), even as court decisions continue to narrow the government’s tariff authority. CBP recently updated their website with additional guidance and a Frequently Asked Questions document to help navigate the process. In CBP’s most recent update to the Court of International Trade (CIT), they reported that more than 126,000 declarations had been submitted to CBP’s online portal, over 15 million entries had passed validation for removal of IEEPA duties, and approximately 8.3 million entries had…

The U.S. House is expected to consider the Faster Labor Contracts Act (FLCA) in the coming weeks, legislation that could significantly change the collective bargaining process for construction employers. The bill would shorten bargaining timelines and increase the use of binding arbitration if negotiations fail. AGC believes this could shift leverage away from employers, disrupt established bargaining practices, and create uncertainty for contractors. Because construction labor relations often rely on locally negotiated multi-employer agreements tailored to regional markets, AGC fears that outside arbitration panels may impose terms that do not reflect local conditions or the construction industry. The legislation could…