AGC Chapter Leaders Visit D.C., Call On Congress to Stimulate Demand for Construction

This week, AGC held its annual National & Chapter Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., which brought chapter leaders together to discuss best practices and meet with Members of Congress to address AGC's top legislative issues. During the meetings with legislators, AGC members used the opportunity to urge support for the repeal of the 3 percent withholding tax, advocate for a long-term transportation bill, and ask that negotiations with the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction 1) do not sacrifice federal construction investment; 2) reinforce trust fund financing for infrastructure investments; 3) provide comprehensive tax reform that reduces rate, spreads the tax burden; and,  4) provide tax certainty and strongly address entitlements. AGC also used the opportunity to deliver its national plan detailing measures to stimulate demand for construction by boosting private sector construction activity, improving aging infrastructure and cutting needless and costly regulations. The plan, Building a Stronger Future: A New Blueprint for Economic Growth can be read here. During the meeting, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Ks.) and Representative Richard Hanna (R-N.Y.) said that sustained, long-term federal infrastructure investments are needed to jump start the economy. The two GOP members of Congress chided the Obama administration for neglecting long-term legislation in favor of making large, temporary, political payoffs that did little to rebuild infrastructure as part of the stimulus. They also said growing federal regulatory burdens were stifling small business growth and hiring and said they were working to repeal the “idiotic” 3 percent withholding measure. As Representative Hanna, a former contractor said, “If businesses don’t succeed, government doesn’t succeed.” AGC members visited with nearly 200 members of congress and their staff, including many members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction. For more information, please contact Jim Young at (202) 547-0133 oryoungj@agc.org.