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Federal Government
On April 7, AGC of America CEO Stephen Sandherr, Contractors Association of West Virginia Executive Director Mike Clowser and members of AGC Chapter-CAWV met in Charleston, West Virginia with Senator Joe Manchin on the PRO Act — the greatest threat to open shop and union construction firms — and President Biden’s Infrastructure Plan, on which you can find a comprehensive AGC analysis here. Sen. Manchin is one of five Democrats who has not pledged support for the PRO Act. He is also a pivotal player in the Biden’s administration’s plans for enacting any infrastructure legislation through the partisan reconciliation process that would only require 51 — instead of 60 — votes to pass in the Senate. AGC and its members in West Virginia and around the country will continue to oppose efforts to enact the PRO Act and to support significant investments in our nation’s transportation, building and utility infrastructure.
   Bipartisan Caucus to improve the delivery of construction services
On April 21, Rep. Scott Peters (CA–52) and Rep. Pete Stauber (MN-8) will formally announce the newly-formed, bipartisan Construction Procurement Caucus (CPC). The congressmen have stated that CPC will serve as a forum for members of congress to “discuss ways to improve efficiency in the federal government procurement process with the goal of promoting commonsense design and construction services and procurement reforms to benefit the government, taxpayers, and businesses of all sizes.” The CPC announcement comes at a time when the President and Congress are in the beginning stages of negotiating an infrastructure bill that may be as large as $1.9 trillion dollars. The CPC lists the goals of the new caucus to: 1) simplify the federal construction services procurement process; 2) promote a competitive marketplace for federal construction services contract awards for all size businesses; 3) support greater opportunities for all size businesses in the federal marketplace; and 4) elevate procurement-related legislative opportunities. The virtual kickoff event is open to the public and will take place on April 21 at 12 p.m. eastern. RSVP here to attend.
For more information, contact jordan.howard@agc.org or (703) 837-5368. On March 31, President Joe Biden released the American Jobs Plan, a $2 trillion, wide-ranging infrastructure proposal that seeks to invest in all modes of transportation, water, electric, broadband, public buildings, manufacturing, and much more. On the transportation front, Biden is proposing $621 billion in “additional” investment.
Federal Agencies
On April 6, President Biden announced his intent to nominate Robin Carnahan to become Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA). Ms. Carnahan is currently a Fellow at Georgetown University’s Beeck Center. Prior to that Ms. Carnahan is the former Secretary of State of Missouri and from 2016-2020. No date has been set for her Senate confirmation, but it is expected to occur this Spring. No nominee to head GSA's construction branch, Public Buildings Service, has been announced.
For more information, contact jordan.howard@agc.org or (703) 837-5368. In January, President Biden signed executive orders specifically charging federal agencies to focus on environmental regulations, climate change, and environmental justice. In the intervening weeks, the agencies have begun implementing those directives. We are seeing incremental steps taken as the nominees to head these agencies move through the confirmation process. The Senate just confirmed Michael Regan’s appointment to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and hearings for other nominees have recently happened or are being scheduled. Agency activity is expected to increase as more appointed officials take the lead.
The anticipated publishing of the OSHA Covid-19 emergency temporary standards (ETS) is currently on hold. Since President Biden issued his executive order on January 21, which set a March 15 deadline to issue an ETS if deemed necessary, industry stakeholders have been closely monitoring the rulemaking process. According to reports from agency officials, Secretary Walsh requested OSHA update the materials to reflect the latest science and status of COVID-19. These updates will be based on the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analysis and information related to the state of vaccinations and the variants.
As AGC has previously reported, the standard could require employers to develop and implement COVID-19 safety plans that follow guidance from the CDC. It could potentially address other issues, such as paying workers if they’re required to quarantine and ensuring those employees have jobs after their absence.
AGC staff will continue to monitor the rulemaking progress and provide updates accordingly. For more information please contact Kevin Cannon at (703) 837-5410 or kevin.cannon@agc.org or Nazia Shah at (703) 837-5409 or nazia.shah@agc.org.
Upcoming Events
Please join AGC of America, and its partners on the Construction Industry Safety Coalition, in planning to participate in the COVID-19 Vaccine Awareness Week in Construction, April 19-23. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness of the safety, effectiveness, and benefits of COVID-19 vaccination among construction workers.
AGC encourages members to take time to share important information with their staff, trade contractors, subcontractors, and partners about the benefits of vaccination and encourage them to register to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Click HERE to access resources to help you get started on planning your activities. In addition, please let us know if you are planning to participate by completing a brief survey HERE. For more information or if you have any questions, please contact AGC of America's Senior Director of Safety & Health Services, Kevin Cannon, at kevin.cannon@agc.org or 703-837-5410.
April 13, 2021 April 14, 2021 April 21, 2021 April 22, 2021 April 23, 2021 May 3, 2021 May 4, 2021 May 5, 2021 May 6, 2021 May 13, 2021 May 12-13, 2021 May 18, 2021 May 20, 2021 
AGC News
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. 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. As you will see, we continued to successfully advocate on behalf of the industry and keep construction essential; provide high-quality virtual programs and connect members with the officials and resources they need to be successful. As important, our two philanthropic organizations continue to make significant investments in the future of our industry and improving local communities, thanks to generous contributions from our members.
Every week brings new reports of materials costs hitting record highs, while lead times lengthen or become ever more uncertain. AGC of America recently released a Construction Inflation Alert. This document is intended to help chapters and members explain to owners, government officials, and others, what is happening and what all parties can do to minimize the damage.
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Associated General Contractors of America 2300 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 300 - Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: 703-548-3118 | Fax: 703-548-3119 | www.agc.org |
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