Author: agcnews

Texas, Louisiana Register the Worst Job Losses Since February 2020, As Utah and Idaho Add the Most; Colorado and N.H. Have Worst Losses in July, While N.C., N.J. and Connecticut Lead Job Gainers Construction employment in July remained below the levels reached before the pre-pandemic peak in February 2020 in 36 states, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government employment data released today. Association officials said construction employment would benefit from new federal infrastructure investments and urged the House to quickly pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill. “This data shows that full recovery remains elusive for construction in…

AGC of America recently provided comments on the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation’s (PBGC) interim final rule implementing the American Rescue Plan Act’s (ARPA) special financial assistance program. The special financial assistance program is designed to help financially troubled multiemployer pension plans avoid insolvency for the next 30 years. AGC participated in a NCCMP working group of stakeholders to help provide detailed and substantive comments with recommendations to improve the rule and make it more in line with Congressional intent. AGC America also signed onto another comment letter submitted by a group of employer organizations. Unfortunately, the initial interpretation from the PBGC limited the amount of assistance…

AGC of America recently provided comments on the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation’s (PBGC) interim final rule implementing the American Rescue Plan Act’s (ARPA) special financial assistance program. The special financial assistance program is designed to help financially troubled multiemployer pension plans avoid insolvency for the next 30 years. AGC participated in a NCCMP working group of stakeholders to help provide detailed and substantive comments with recommendations to improve the rule and make it more in line with Congressional intent. AGC America also signed onto another comment letter submitted by a group of employer organizations. Unfortunately, the initial interpretation from the PBGC limited the amount of assistance…

On Aug. 4, AGC of America’s Federal & Heavy Construction Division participated at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Executive Governance Meeting, which gathers Army Corps commanders from across the agency. AGC and the Army Corps discussed solutions to the challenges facing our nation’s infrastructure, and how the Army Corps can better partner with the construction industry. AGC emphasized the strain contractors are facing with construction materials at record high prices and the continued availability challenges. AGC urged Commanders to partner with AGC Chapters and member contractors back in their district offices, and also provided government guidance encouraging such meetings. For more information, contact jordan.howard@agc.org or…

On Aug. 10, the Senate passed, 69-30, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a historic, $1.2 trillion infrastructure package investing in all components of the nation’s physical infrastructure. AGC endorsed this legislation because it reauthorizes the nation’s federal-aid highway and transit programs for five years at record funding levels, includes significant environmental permitting streamlining provisions, and provides a host of other investments for a wide array construction projects without raising taxes on construction firms and without including any new, significant workforce mandates, like the PRO Act or government-mandated project labor agreements. A full AGC analysis of the bill can be found here. Additionally, a breakdown of what’s in the…

Construction Officials Call for End to Damaging Tariffs and Quotas on Steel, Aluminum, Lumber and Other Essential Construction Items Incurring Unprecedented Price Increases and Long Lead Times Extreme price increases continued in July for a wide range of goods and services used in construction, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released today. Association officials urged President Biden to immediately end tariffs and quotas on steel, aluminum, lumber and other essential construction items to help stave off inflationary pressure in the construction industry. “July was the sixth-straight month of double-digit price increases for construction inputs,”…

Construction Official Warns that Holding the Much-Needed Infrastructure Measure Hostage to Unrelated Partisan Priorities will Hurt the Economy and Deny Workers Good Career Opportunities The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, issued the following statement in reaction to the passage in the Senate today of a bipartisan infrastructure measure: “The new infrastructure measure passed by the Senate today provides much-needed new federal investments in a wide range of infrastructure projects. These investments will help generate new demand for construction services, equipment, and materials. More important, the new investments will create high-paying construction career…

Association Officials Urged Congress to Pass the New, Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill to Boost Demand for Nonresidential Construction and Create Needed Commercial Construction Career Opportunities The construction industry added 11,000 jobs between June and July but nonresidential construction employment remains far below pre-pandemic levels, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released today. Association officials said nonresidential construction has been affected by declining demand for projects, particularly for public infrastructure work, and urged Congress to quickly pass the new bipartisan infrastructure measure. “Contractors are plagued by soaring materials costs, long or uncertain delivery times,…

This week the Senate is debating the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, or commonly referred to as the bipartisan infrastructure bill. AGC has weighed in on a few of the amendments that have been offered and is monitoring to see if they will get a vote: AGC Supported – Amendment offered by Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) would provide eligibility for state departments of transportation to achieve carbon emission reductions through pavement procurement. Reduction of carbon emissions from modern pavement technologies has also been confirmed through research from the Federal Highway Administration. AGC Opposed – Amendment offered by Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) would restrict a state’s ability…

On July 27, the Office of Management and Budget and the Department of Defense announced the implementation of mask mandates for all federal workers, contractors, and visitors to federal facilities in areas with substantial or high community transmission of COVID-19 infections. Federal employees and “onsite contractors” will be required to “attest” to vaccination or be required to wear a mask. However, federal contractors nor agencies have received any implementation guidance which has resulted in confusion. Fundamental questions remain unanswered, including what the scope of the mandate is, who will bear the cost of testing, and if contractors working at multiple offices or for multiple…