Author: agcnews

Construction sector employment increased by 4,000 positions in May as rising wages enabled the industry to add workers more rapidly than other sectors, according to an analysis of new government data the Associated General Contractors of America released today. Association officials noted that the industry has been adding jobs each month for over a year, but the increases have slowed amid recent market uncertainty. “Nonresidential construction firms added employees in May for the 13th month in a row,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “However, constant changes in tariffs and other policies that are affecting the cost and demand…

In Mid-America Milling Co. LLC v. U.S. DOT, two non-DBE trucking firms backed by the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty challenged the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program’s race and gender-based presumptions as unconstitutional. On May 28, 2025 the plaintiffs and US DOT jointly asked the court to enter a consent order resolving the case by agreeing that the DBE program is unconstitutional. The order is not yet final and awaiting approval by the Judge overseeing the case. However, if it is entered as written, the consent agreement will place a permanent nationwide injunction that effectively stops the DBE program.…

AGC of America is asking members to urge U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and their representatives in Congress to take decisive steps that protect crews and motorists alike. The alert follows fresh findings from the 2025 AGC–HCSS Highway Work Zone Survey showing that six in ten highway contractors experienced a vehicle crash in one of their work zones during the past year—a sobering reminder that job-site dangers are rising, not receding. Members can reach lawmakers through this link that auto-populates a message but still lets users add personal stories or local data. The campaign urges federal decision-makers to adopt three…

On June 3, AGC urged the House of Representatives to pass the Plain Language in Contracting Act (H.R. 787). This bipartisan bill would require that federal contracting solicitations for small businesses be written in language that is clear, concise, and easy to understand. It also directs agencies to include relevant keywords in these notices, in order to approve searchability on SAM.gov. These reforms will make it easier for small construction firms to identify and respond to federal solicitations without being overwhelmed by dense technical or legal language. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the legislation by a voice vote on…

Construction spending fell for the third month in a row in April, declining 0.4 percent from March and 0.5 percent from a year earlier—the first year-over-year decrease since April 2019, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of a new government report. Association officials warned that the decline in construction activity risks making the nation less competitive and will hurt economic growth. “A pullback in many types of private nonresidential projects, as well as a sharp drop in homebuilding, contributed to the latest drop in construction spending,” said, Ken Simonson, chief economist of the Associated General…

This year’s most impactful research effort on A.I. in construction is open. The 2025 A.I. Excellence in Construction survey focuses on adoption, strategy, and readiness across the industry. Make sure your team’s perspective is represented. Participants will gain early access to survey findings, which will also be presented at AGC’s Tech Conference in August. Take the survey → Link Register for the AGC Tech Conference → Link

Federal agencies announced that they will not enforce portions of a final rule relating to the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, adopted in 2024. The U.S. Departments of Labor (“DOL”), Health and Human Services (“HHS”), and Treasury (“Departments”) have issued a Statement announcing that they will not enforce portions of a final rule relating to the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (“MHPAEA”), which was adopted in 2024. Specifically, the Departments will not enforce the 2024 Final Rule or otherwise pursue enforcement actions, based on a failure to comply that occurs prior to a final decision in pending litigation,…

In response to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Unit’s (FinCEN) Interim Final Rule (IFR), AGC submitted comments in support of the deregulatory action. The IFR addresses concerns AGC raised in our February 2022 comment letter by exempting all entities formed in the United States and their beneficial owners from BOI filing, updating, and correction duties. In our comment letter to the IFR, AGC argued that while the regulation is a step in the right direction, the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) itself violates the Commerce Clause of the Constitution and should be repealed. While this regulatory change eliminates the immediate compliance burden…

In Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, Colo.; No. 23-975, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that federal agencies conducting environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) should take a more limited view of the impacts a project has on the environment. The case centered on an environmental impact statement (EIS) for 88 miles of railroad track in Utah. The Court of Appeals had ruled that the EIS was insufficient because it failed to evaluate remote environmental impacts that were out of the agency’s control. In this instance, the EIS allegedly failed to adequately address the impact of…

Construction employment increased in 184 out of 360 metro areas, slightly more than half, between April 2024 and April 2025, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government employment data. Association officials said that while demand for certain types of projects was boosting construction employment in some metro areas, other places are struggling to add jobs amid worker shortages and economic uncertainty. “Demand for infrastructure, public facilities, and data centers is helping boost construction employment in many parts of the country,” said Macrina Wilkins, the association’s senior research associate. “But that demand has not…