Author: agcnews
In this episode of ConstructorCast, host Max Nelson engages with Adam Stark, founder of Jet.Build and host of the Veterans Who Build podcast, and Jesse Gemberling-Johnson, a Marine Corps veteran and Chief Talent Officer at mcfa. They explore the challenges veterans encounter when transitioning to civilian life, the alignment between military skills and those required in construction, and strategies contractors can employ to effectively recruit and retain veteran talent. The discussion highlights the often untapped potential of veterans in the construction industry, emphasizing the value they bring through their discipline, leadership, and technical skills. The guests share insights into initiatives…
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) have reintroduced the Improve and Enhance the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) Act to build the U.S. workforce and help connect individuals to good jobs. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.). WOTC is an important tax preference that has been utilized for nearly three decades to build workforces in local communities across the country. AGC appreciates that this legislation takes important steps to strengthen WOTC, the first significant improvements since the credit’s creation in 1996. The benefits to improving and expanding WOTC are countless. WOTC-eligible workers live in…
AGC of America recently pledged to work with the Trump administration and U.S. Congress to help ensure that employer-sponsored coverage is strengthened and will remain a viable and affordable private-sector health coverage option rather than to search for alternatives to it. Specifically, AGC urges their attention to the following principles that are important to ensuring that employment-based coverage thrives into the future: For more information, please contact Jim Young or Claiborne Guy.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recently announced they are withdrawing the Biden-era highway greenhouse gas rule, and the transportation agency has dropped both of its court appeals in defense of the emissions performance measures. You may recall, AGC has been fighting this rule in Congress, at FHWA, and in the courts. AGC also highlighted our concerns with the rule in our letter to then President-elect Trump. The withdrawal follows two federal district court rulings that deemed the greenhouse gas rule an unlawful overreach of executive power. Judges in both the Texas and Kentucky federal district courts sided with AGC’s arguments,…
As many of you are aware, reform to the National Environmental Policy Act’s (NEPA) environmental review process is a top priority for AGC and the construction industry during this administration. Because so many of our members are rightfully paying attention to this important issue, this article provides an update on NEPA reform efforts by AGC and around the government. At the White House President Trump’s Executive Order, “Unleashing American Energy” included a section aimed at NEPA reform. In the order, the President ordered the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), the White House office in charge of NEPA…
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has announced the suspension of approvals for state plans under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, effectively pausing the rollout of federally funded electric vehicle (EV) charging projects. FHWA is updating the NEVI Formula Program Guidance to align with the priorities of the Trump administration. This means that states can no longer receive approval for new charging infrastructure plans, and federal funds allocated for these projects will not be distributed until further notice. The NEVI program, established under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, was intended to create a nationwide network of EV chargers.…
This week President Trump announced a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports to “close existing loopholes and exemptions.” To help contractors navigate tariff challenges, AGC has developed a Resource Center for contractors. New resources are continually being added and updated regularly to help contractors stay informed and navigate tariff-related challenges effectively. More information on these new tariffs, including the White House fact sheets, can be found on the site. Also, be sure to sign up for AGC’s Webinar: The Art of Dealing with Tariffs taking place on February 27 from 3:00-4:00 pm. This webinar will serve as your…
The price of materials and services used in nonresidential construction increased 0.8 percent from December to January, the largest jump in costs in the past 12 months, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released today. Association officials warned that steel and aluminum tariffs will further boost the cost of key construction materials and are likely to make construction projects more costly and invite retaliation by U.S. trading partners. “Input costs are likely to jump even more if the Trump administration goes ahead with the tariffs it has threatened to impose,” said Ken Simonson, the…
U.S. Military Announces it is Dropping PLA Mandate as Government Promises to Pull Mandate on All Twelve Projects that Were Subject to a Bid Protest Approach AGC of America Helped Craft The Associated General Contractors of America’s chief executive officer, Jeffrey Shoaf, issued the following statement in reaction to the U.S. Department of Defense announcing it was issuing a class deviation dropping project labor agreement requirements for its military construction solicitations and government promise to remove the same mandate on twelve projects that were the subject of a bid protest approach that was crafted at the behest of the Associated…
Construction sector employment increased by 4,000 positions in January as gains in nonresidential construction offset the decline in the residential sector, according to an analysis of new government data the Associated General Contractors of America released today. Association officials cautioned, however, that tightening labor market conditions may undermine future construction industry hiring. “The already tight labor market is getting tighter in the construction sector,” said Jeffrey Shoaf, the association’s chief executive officer. “Absent new investments in construction training and work authorization programs, it will be hard for firms to keep pace with demand.” See the full release.