AGC Submits Testimony on Federal Conference Attendance

AGC recently submitted testimony on the need for continued federal agency participation at construction stakeholder conferences for a Senate Homeland Security and Government Reform Committee hearing on the topic. Given a time when the national debt and deficit remain high, the federal government should consider sensible and reasonable cost-savings measures. That being said, Congress should also reconsider the slash-and-burn take on federal travel spending for non-government conferences. While such a policy has proven penny wise, AGC contends it is pound foolish and more reasonable approaches must be taken.AGC of America and its network of chapters across the country hold meetings with federal agencies across the nation every year. These meetings provide both contractors and federal officials with valuable insight about the situation in the field and how to improve it. These conferences also provide contractors and federal officials with open forums on neutral grounds to discuss future and ongoing projects, as well as lessons learned from completed ones.  In its testimony, AGC noted that agency prohibitions on, and procedural obstacles for, federal representatives’ attendance at such conferences have only served to help undermine partnering efforts and drastically reduced a positive and productive line of communication on agency policies impacting the industry. For more information, please contact Jimmy Christianson at 703-837-5325 or christiansonj@agc.org.