The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, issued the following statement in reaction to the announcement today that the House Republican leadership will encourage its party members to vote against the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill:
Action is needed before the current one-year extension of the FAST Act surface transportation law expires September 30. The bipartisan infrastructure bill passed by the Senate over a month ago includes a record-breaking five-year surface transportation reauthorization and additional investments to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure. The House of Representatives has yet to vote on the bill, as Speaker Pelosi holds it for leverage to pass upwards of a $3.5 trillion human infrastructure bill. Meanwhile, thousands of construction jobs and projects are on the line. Not only will further delay impede a wide variety of new projects from hitting the street to bid, but funding for ongoing construction projects is also in jeopardy. If the bipartisan infrastructure bill does not pass before September 30, the federal-aid highway and transit construction programs will expire, causing a slowdown and eventual end to federal payments to states for transportation construction projects already underway.
The Associated General Contractors of America is installing a new billboard in the Pittsburgh area to call out Congressman Conor Lamb for voting to keep his constituents stuck in highway traffic. The billboard, which is located along one of the most congested commuter corridors in the Congressman’s district, includes a link for commuters to learn more about the Congressman’s vote.
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
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
Government- Mandated Project Labor Agreements & Local Hire Requirements
Earlier this week, AGC filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), in response to SBA’s delayed decision-making process of the PPP loans as members report they have already waited many months for SBA to act on their applications for the forgiveness of loans over $2M. SBA continues to hide the difference in the time it requires to process applications for the forgiveness of loans over and under $2M. AGC has learned that a private company is playing an apparently significant but uncertain role in the processing of applications for the forgiveness of loans over $2M.
AGC Launches Broad Effort to Increase Transparency of SBA’s Decision-Making Process Going Beyond Lawsuit, AGC Submits Detailed Request for Agency Data
We are proud to report that we have had a strong year in 2020 as the contents of our Annual Report - The Power of Engagement - make clear. The digital report catalogues the many accomplishments of AGC of America. In our catalogue of some of the association’s most significant accomplishments, you will see how we work to support the entire construction industry as The Construction Association.