Author: agcnews

Construction Association Calls for End to Tariffs on Lumber, Steel and Aluminum in Order to Deliver Prompt Relief Instead of Imposing New Restrictions on Hiring, Training, and Work Agreements The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, issued the following statement in reaction to the announcement today by the White House of actions it will take to address supply-chain disruptions: “The construction industry is experiencing widespread and growing problems with the cost and supply of materials. These challenges will make it more costly and difficult to achieve the administration’s goals for infrastructure, renewable energy,…

Gains on WOTUS, Endangered Species Act Regulations & More in Jeopardy The Biden Administration has taken several steps in the last two weeks to begin the process of repealing and modifying many of the prior administration’s signature environmental permitting reforms related to species and water permits—including waters of the United States (WOTUS). Over the prior four years, AGC supported many of these reforms that added greater clarity, scope, timelines, and certainty to the federal permitting process. AGC will continue to highlight that permitting delays will only impede the Administration’s goal to invest in and increase the resilience of the nation’s…

Many Construction Firms Also Report Difficulty Finding Qualified Workers to Hire as Some Remain Reluctant to Return to Work amid Child Care Challenges and Elevated Unemployment Supplements Construction employment declined for the third time in the past four months in May as nonresidential contractors coped with lengthening and unpredictable delivery times that limited their ability to start or complete projects, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released today. Association officials added that many contractors report they are having a hard time finding qualified workers to hire as some people remain reluctant to…

On June 1, President Biden called for an “all-of-government effort to expand contracting opportunities for underserved small businesses across the country.” Among other initiatives, the goal is to increase the share of contracts going to small, disadvantaged businesses (SDB) by 50 percent by 2026, which the administration calculates as an additional $100 billion to SDBs over the five-year period. SDBs include 8(a) participants and other small businesses that are at least 51% owned and controlled by socially or economically disadvantaged individuals or groups. The Administration is silent about the other small business subcategories such as Women-Owned Small Businesses, HUBZone Small Businesses, and…

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) posted updated and expanded technical assistance related to the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing questions arising under the federal equal employment opportunity (EEO) laws. The EEOC also posted a new resource for job applicants and employees, explaining how federal employment discrimination laws protect workers during the pandemic. These publications are provided to help employees and employers understand their rights and responsibilities at work during the pandemic. The expanded technical assistance provides new information about how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) apply when an employer offers incentives for employees to provide documentation…

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land and Odessa, Texas Have Worst 14-Month Construction Job Losses; Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, Ind. and Sierra Vista-Douglas, Ariz. Lead List of 217 Metros with Job Gains Construction employment decreased from February 2020 – the last month prior to the pandemic – to April 2021 in 107, or 30 percent, of the nation’s metro areas, and was stagnant in another 34, according to an analysis by AGC of government employment data released today. Association officials said that construction employment in many parts of the country was being undermined by pandemic-induced project delays, materials price spikes and shortages, and difficulties finding labor. “It is…

Construction Officials Say New Infrastructure Funding, Tariff Relief and Measures to Reduce Manufacturing and Delivery Delays for Key Materials Needed to Jump Start Nonresidential Activity Nonresidential construction spending in April declined for the fifth-straight month to a two-year low as demand waned for numerous public and private project categories in the face of lengthening production and delivery times for materials, along with fast-rising prices for many items, according to an analysis of new federal construction spending data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Officials with the association urged the President and Congress to boost infrastructure investments, remove tariffs on…

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has posted updated and expanded technical assistance related to the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing questions arising under the federal equal employment opportunity (EEO) laws. The EEOC also posted a new resource for job applicants and employees, explaining how federal employment discrimination laws protect workers during the pandemic. These publications are provided to help employees and employers understand their rights and responsibilities at work during the pandemic. The expanded technical assistance provides new information about how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) apply when an employer offers incentives for employees to provide…

Expands Renewable Energy & EV Tax Credits; Attaches Labor Requirements On May 26 and in spite of AGC’s concerns, the Senate Finance Committee passed the Clean Energy for America Act, which would consolidate and expand numerous tax incentives for the construction of energy efficient infrastructure and the production of renewable energy. The legislation would also create and greatly expand tax incentives for electric vehicles (EVs)—which do not pay into the federal Highway Trust Fund for their use of roads, bridges, and highways. In addition, the bill does not contemplate a path forward for ensuring EVs contribute to the HTF. The bill also—for…

Other Senate Committees Must Act on Transit, Rail Programs On May 26, the Senate Environment and Works (EPW) Committee unanimously passed the AGC-backed Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act of 2021. The bill would provide historic level of investment—$311 billion over five years—for roads, bridges and highways. The legislation also includes important streamlining provisions that will cut down on administrative duplication in the environmental permitting and review process, maintains state flexibility in policy decisions on addressing highway congestion, and more. The Senate Banking and Commerce committees must now put forth proposals on transit and rail policy and funding, as those fall under their…