Construction employers added 39,000 jobs in January and 308,000 over the past year, reaching the highest employment total since February 2009, as the sector's unemployment rate fell to 9.8 percent, according to an analysis by AGC of America. Association officials said the job gains come as most construction firms report plans to expand headcount this year, but worry about growing shortages of qualified workers.

Construction spending rose in December to a six-year high of $982 billion as public construction for the year increased for the first time since 2009, according to an analysis by AGC of America. Association officials said President Obama's budget proposal and his suggested infrastructure funding program should help construction spending continue to grow by accelerating debate about the best way to fund repairs to the nation's aging roads, bridges, and other public infrastructure.

The chief executive officer of AGC of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, released the following statement in response to the release of the Infrastructure 2.0 Act by Maryland Congressman John Delaney: "The Congressman's proposal puts a lot of good ideas on the table that we hope spur vigorous discussion over how best to use tax reform to finance America's aging infrastructure. Congressman Delaney is a serious legislator who understands what levers Congress can use to spur economic growth.

Construction firms added jobs in 40 states and the District of Columbia between December 2013 and December 2014 while construction employment increased in 38 states and D.C. between November and December, according to an analysis today of Labor Department data by AGC of America.

Construction contractors will have an easier time learning how to comply with federal and state environmental guidelines thanks to a new partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the private sector. The partnership between AGC of America, EPA and the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) will allow for a significant upgrade to the Construction Industry Compliance Assistance website, or CICA Center for short, association officials noted.

Eighty percent of construction firms plan to expand their payrolls in 2015 while only 7 percent expect to reduce headcounts according to survey results released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. The survey, conducted as part of Ready to Hire Again: The 2015 Construction Industry Hiring and Business Outlook, indicates that most contractors are optimistic about the year ahead and ready to expand, but will have to cope with challenges including worker shortages and regulatory burdens.

Fox Business News’ Money with Melissa Francis erroneously reported that federal gas taxes can be used to finance the construction of museums and other non-transportation projects, officials with AGC noted in a letter sent to the show’s host today.  Association officials added that the error is significant because it incorrectly leaves viewers with the impression that some portion of the federal gas taxes they pay are being wasted on projects that do nothing to improve the safety and reliability of their commutes, when in fact the opposite is true.

The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, issued the following statement in response to today's announcement of new Build America Investment Initiatives By President Obama: "The new Build America Investment initiatives outlined by the Obama administration today will help boost our economy and help rebuild aging infrastructure. The steps being taken by the administration should make it easier for state and local officials to finance a wide variety of projects designed to upgrade aging clean water systems, improve power transmission networks and keep our roads and bridges safe."

Construction employers added 48,000 jobs in December and 290,000 for the year, the largest annual increase since 2005, as the sector's unemployment rate fell to 8.3 percent, according to an analysis by AGC of America.

Construction spending edged down in November but outlays for the year remained on track for a modest increase over 2013 totals, according to an analysis by AGC.