Author: Crystal Yates

AGC of America’s judicial advocacy is a critical component of its broader advocacy efforts and an important tool for protecting contractors and the construction industry. Through its litigation program, AGC focuses primarily on federal cases with the potential to set important nationwide precedents or to stop the enforcement of harmful federal regulations. Earlier this month, AGC released its Fall 2026 Litigation Snapshot, a quick-read resource highlighting the association’s advocacy across a broad portfolio of legal issues affecting the construction industry, including environmental, construction, constitutional, labor, and procurement matters. The publication highlights recent significant victories, provides updates on cases AGC has…

AGC of America has added a new Reporting Form to its Build America, Buy America Act (BABAA) Resource Hub. The form will help identify materials and products that contractors have difficulty sourcing domestically for federally assisted construction projects. Members can use the form at any time to report challenges finding BABAA-compliant materials and products, identify the types of projects affected, and specify the states where these challenges are occurring. Project-specific details are not required, and the form is intended to capture challenges across all federally assisted construction projects, not just those funded with federal highway funds. AGC will use…

In its second round of comments this year on the definition of waters of the United States (WOTUS), AGC of America urged federal regulators to adopt a clear, durable rule that provides greater certainty about when federal water permits are required for infrastructure projects. The supplemental proposed rule the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers released moves in that direction. The agencies issued the supplemental proposed rule to address issues raised in response to their initial proposal. In its comments, AGC acknowledged the seriousness with which the Trump administration is approaching the rulemaking. The supplemental seeks additional…

The U.S. Senate voted on September 30 to confirm Keith Sonderling as Secretary of Labor, following his service as Acting Secretary since April. Sonderling previously served as Deputy Secretary of Labor, a member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and held leadership positions within the Department of Labor during the first Trump Administration. AGC supported Sonderling’s nomination throughout the confirmation process. In a July letter to Senate HELP Committee leaders, AGC highlighted his extensive experience in employment and labor policy and noted that the Department of Labor will play a critical role in workforce development, workforce training, and ensuring employers…

On Sept. 17, AGC filed comments urging the Trump administration to reissue the federal permit for stormwater discharges associated with construction activities without new requirements that would add to the regulatory burden. AGC also requested the administration to initiate a separate effort to streamline the permit. The federal stormwater permit serves as a nationwide model or template for state permits and is set to expire on Feb. 17, 2027. In its response, AGC relied on feedback from members and chapter representatives on two calls on the proposed 2027 Construction General Permit (CGP) during the comment period. AGC also coordinated with…

If you manage day-to-day environmental compliance for your construction firm, AGC has the meeting for you. The next meeting of in-house environmental professionals is set for January 25. Spend the day in peer-to-peer discussions in Charlotte Harbor, Florida. Register here! The meeting is co-located with the Surety Bonding and Construction Risk Management Conference at the Sunseeker Resort. (Register for the meeting, the conference, or both.) AgendaAs usual, you set the agenda for the discussions to address the top items on your to-do-list or jobsite concerns.  AGC will poll attendees in advance to identify the topics and discussion leaders for 14…

Construction workforce challenges continue to evolve, making it more important than ever for HR, workforce development, training, and talent professionals to stay ahead of the curve. Join your peers at AGC’s Construction Workforce & HR Conference to explore practical solutions, exchange ideas, and build valuable industry connections. This year’s program features keynote speaker Kathy Dempsey, presenting “SHED® or You’re Dead: How to Stay Alive, Thrive and Navigate the Future” and “SHED® HAPPENS! Your Practical Toolkit for Navigating Change,” along with a full agenda of sessions focused on recruiting, retaining, and developing the construction workforce. If you have not registered yet,…

The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has updated its official El Salvador Temporary Protected Status (TPS) webpage to state: “An announcement on El Salvador’s TPS will be made at the appropriate time. Until such announcement is made, Salvadoran individuals present in the U.S. under TPS retain protection including work authorization.” This confirms that existing Salvadoran TPS beneficiaries remain protected and employment-authorized while DHS considers its next action. The earlier USCIS/E-Verify alert issued on September 3, 2026 – which stated that El Salvador TPS was set to terminate on September 9, 2026 – has, therefore,…

AGC has joined a broad coalition of employer, business, health care, and benefits organizations in urging the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to finalize a proposed rule allowing default electronic delivery of group health plan disclosures and to extend that approach to all group health plan communications under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). The coalition’s September 21 comment letter argues that updating decades-old paper disclosure requirements would improve access to benefits information while reducing unnecessary administrative costs. The groups also encouraged DOL to extend the default e-delivery approach to all ERISA-covered welfare plans in its final…

On September 10, AGC of America and other business groups coordinated by the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace filed an amicus brief with the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or “Board”) supporting Amazon’s challenge to the Board’s controversial Cemex union-recognition framework. As AGC previously reported, the Cemex framework has significant implications for employers facing union demands for voluntary recognition under Section 9(a) of the National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA”). The NLRB issued its controversial Cemex decision in 2023, expanding the responsibilities of employers confronted with union recognition demands and the circumstances in which the Board may issue bargaining orders. The…