On Dec. 10, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer announced a bipartisan agreement on the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA) that will allow the trade pact to move forward in the House as soon as next week. Once a House vote is taken, the measure will move to the Senate for consideration. The Trump administration announced an agreement in principle on this newly negotiated version of NAFTA in late 2018 and has been working with Congress throughout the duration of this year to secure its passage. AGC applauds this announcement and will continue to support USMCA as it moves through the ratification process. An updated agreement with our North American trading partners is long overdue and will help ensure that trade impacting the construction industry supply chain remains free, fair, and certain.

Guest Article by Anthony Kane, ISI - Resilience is a key component of sustainability where as an industry we have made significant advancements in recent years. In 2015 when the decision was made to begin work on a new version of Envision—the sustainable infrastructure framework—the primary driver was the industry’s expanding and evolving understanding of resilience. In April 2018, after three years of development, the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure released Envision v3 with a significantly expanded focus on how infrastructure should address both short-term shocks (hurricanes, wildfires, etc.) and long-term stressors (sea level rise, aging infrastructure, aging populations, etc.).

Having a resilient jobsite is an important part of mitigating the daily risks of weather events, but what happens when a natural disaster occurs? AGC’s ConstructorCast new two-part series explores just this question. Tune in this December (part 1) and January (part 2) for three experts in claims management, litigation, and restoration. Find out how they have worked through the tough issues of pre-loss planning for your project sites, lessons in mitigating losses, restoration challenges, as well as insurance and claims.

USGBC’s Center for Resilience Showcases Practical Resources

Industry Continues to Add Workers Faster and Pay Higher Wages than Overall Economy as Association Officials Call on Congress and the White House to Pass the JOBS Act, Boost Funding for Career Training

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a temporary enforcement policy to allow for crane operator certifications issued prior to December 2, 2019 by the Crane Institute Certification (CIC) to be temporarily accepted by the agency. OSHA requires crane operators engaged in construction activity to be certified by an entity holding accreditation through a nationally recognized agency. CIC no longer holds such accreditation. The policy explains that, although CIC-issued certifications are not compliant with OSHA’s operator certification requirement, OSHA does not intend to cite employers for operating equipment that violates that requirement if their operators, in good faith, obtained CIC-issued certifications prior to December 2, with the belief the certifications met the standard’s requirements. Until further notice, OSHA will not accept CIC certifications – including re-certifications – issued on or after December 2, 2019.

Association Urge Quick Resolution to Trade Disputes and Uncertainty that are Contributing to Slower

Every year, AGC of America’s Student Chapter members and faculty gather together at AGC’s Annual Convention to connect with chapters across the nation, share ideas, become exposed to industry trends, issues and technological developments and experience the excitement of entering this important industry! Make sure your student chapter members join us again this year for our annual Student Chapter meeting where we will recognize the AGC Education and Research Foundation award winners, hear presentations by the 2019 Outstanding Student Chapter Contest winners and participate in Student Chapter best practices roundtable discussions. AGC of America also offers students the chance to participate in the Bill Ratz Memorial Topgolf Tournament with the AGC Education and Research Foundation. Student and faculty registration rates can be found on the AGC Convention website. To obtain dates and times for student sessions at Convention and to get your students registered please contact paige.packard@agc.org.

Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas and Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.-Iowa Have Largest Gains; New York City and Fairbanks, Alaska Lag the Most as Industry Calls for Measures to Boost Supply of Qualified Workers

CLC volunteers from the Builder’s Association in Kansas City, Missouri braved the humidity on Saturday, August 10, 2019, to transform the outdoor areas of an Overland Park Missouri residence into an attractive and welcoming landscape. The residence is owned and operated by Friends of JCDS (Johnson County Developmental Supports), Inc., a non-profit that provides affordable and accessible housing and other services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.