On March 22, the Senate confirmed the nomination of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh to become the next Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor by a bipartisan final vote of 68-29. Mayor Walsh has a long history with the construction industry, as he is the former head of the Boston Building Trades Council and began his career with a local Boston Laborers’ union. President Biden campaigned on a robust and aggressive labor agenda that included providing greater rights to organizing and unions. Walsh will now be responsible for implementing much of that agenda.

Senate Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) told AFL-CIO leader Richard Trumka that the PRO Act would receive a vote in the U.S. Senate if 50 senators pledge to support it. Currently, 45 Democratic senators have pledged their support for the PRO Act. The only Democratic senators to not yet lend their names to the PRO Act are Mark Kelly (Ariz.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.), Krysten Sinema (Ariz.), and Mark Warner (Va.); Independent Sen. Angus King (Maine) who caucuses with the Democrats is also on this list. Reading between the lines, Sen. Schumer is letting Mr. Trumka know that he will need to pressure these senators into joining their 45 colleagues in support of the PRO Act. Special interest groups are insisting Senate Democratic leaders immediately gut the filibuster. If successful, the PRO Act could pass on a simple majority vote with Vice President Harris representing the fifty-first vote. AGC continues to oppose effort to pass the PRO Act in the Senate. Learn more about the PRO Act at agc.org/PROAct.

On March 25, the Senate is expected to pass the AGC-supported Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Extension Act that would extend the deadline for taking out a PPP loan through June 30, 2021. Importantly, while the legislation extends the deadline for loan approval through June 30, borrowers’ applications must be submitted to their lenders by May 31. The House previously passed the bill, and President Biden is expected to sign it if and when it reaches his desk. Without congressional action, the program’s authorization will expire on March 31, 2021. The extension will give construction firms more time to apply for PPP loans, as many firms see waning backlogs.

AGC Enters into Negotiations with SBA; Hoping for Settlement of PPP LawsuitAGC Member Wins Forgiveness of PPP Loan Over $2 Million

On March 22, the United States Senate confirmed the nomination of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh to become the next Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor by a bipartisan final vote of 68-29.

On March 18, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the AGC-supported American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 (H.R. 6). This measure seeks to take a first step in reforming our nation’s immigration system by protecting the legal status of work authorized-Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders. Despite today’s outcome, the bill faces an uphill fate in the Senate without a significant breakthrough. There are more than 100,000 construction workers estimated with DACA or TPS status who currently face an uncertain legal future.

AGC Concerned About Impact on PPP Loan Forgiveness State Tax Treatment & More

PRO ACT—The Greatest Threat to Union & Open Shop Construction

The Building Division by acclimation elected Michael Trettel as Chairman for the 2021-2022 term. Michael began his career as a Project Engineer and Project Manager and transitioned to business development. He is currently Director of Business Development for i+iconUSA (parent company of Joseph B. Fay Co. and i+iconSoutheast).