$250,000 Construction Advocacy Fund Campaign Helped Keep Vote Close

Democrats’ Vote in Favor of the PRO Act Will Hurt Workers and Undermine the Economic Recovery, Top Construction Industry Official Says, Urges Senate to Reject Measure Before it Harms the Economy

Late last week, the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) continued its campaign to persuade the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to change the way it decides whether to forgive Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans of over $2M. The specific target of AGC’s campaign is a Loan Necessity Questionnaire that has greatly surprised and frustrated the borrowers of such loans, as they now seek forgiveness of them.

AGC called on President Biden to take immediate steps to address soaring lumber prices, as well as rising costs for other construction materials. AGC CEO Steve Sandherr warned that rapidly rising lumber prices pose a growing threat to multifamily housing and other construction sectors. He urged the administration to work with domestic lumber producers to ramp up production to ease growing shortages. He also called on the President to work with Canada on a new softwood lumber agreement and eliminate existing tariffs on wood products.

Measure Denies Workers Absolute Right to Secret and Fair Union Elections, Forces Them to Become the Victims of Union Disputes, Will Unleash Strikes and Disruptions that Will Kill Jobs, Hurt Recovery

Regulatory Implementation Will Not Occur Overnight

Measure’s Modest Amount of Funding for Infrastructure Projects and Clarification that PPP Loans May Not be Taxed Will Help Offset Some of the Challenges Facing the Construction Industry

Association Continues to Push for Changes to Form Itself

Issued After Weeks of AGC Engagement with SBA/Treasury