Rumors are swirling this week at the prospect of Vice President Joe Biden entering the presidential fray following a not-so-secret weekend meeting with progressive darling Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). The president’s spokesman added to the speculation by heaping praise on Mr. Biden and added, “I wouldn't rule out the possibility of an endorsement in the Democratic primary.”
Tell Him/Her to Finish Work on Highway & Transit Bill
The Senate completed action on a six-year transportation reauthorization bill before the August recess. The House has indicated that it will work on its version of a long-term highway & transit bill when members return to Washington after Labor Day. With one week left in the August recess, it is important that you meet with your Congressman and stress the importance of passing a long-term, fully funded transportation bill.
This week, the Congressional Budget Office released its semiannual update of budgetary and economic projections. The report further highlights the challenges facing Congress as they try to fill the revenue gap in the Highway Trust Fund to provide a six-year highway & transit bill.
On Aug. 26, AGC submitted its comments to the Federal Acquisition Regulation Council and the U.S. Department of Labor on their proposed rule and guidance, respectively. The rule and guidance implement the president’s “Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces” Executive Order 13673, commonly called the Blacklisting Executive Order.
At the request of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, AGC recently led several workshops with Department resident engineers from around the country on the value of project-level partnering. Over the course of two days, AGC discussed the need for contractors and owner representatives to not only establish trust at the front end of the project, but to maintain it throughout project delivery—whether through formal or informal partnering means. Several AGC contractor members participated in the workshops and stressed the need for honest, consistent communication and the establishment of decision escalation processes as a means to deliver projects on time and on budget. The workshops included brief presentations from contractors, interactive team-building exercises and back and forth questions and answers between the Department engineers and AGC contractors. The Department held this workshop as part of a broader training initiative, the theme of which was “turning the page” on the old ways and looking towards improvement ahead.
Use Congressional Recess to Tell Your Congressman: Finish Work on Highway & Transit Bill
With the Senate completing action on a six-year transportation reauthorization bill before the August recess, focus has shifted to the House. The House has indicated that they will work on their version of a long-term highway & transit bill when they return to Washington after Labor Day. Use your Congressman’s time in the state to meet with them on the importance of passing a long-term, fully funded transportation bill. Resources to help you schedule meetings can be found on the Hardhats for Highway “Meet with Congress” page. Please follow up your meetings with an email to your House Representative, reminding them to focus on passing a long-term highway & transit bill after the August recess.
Deadline to Reserve Your Hotel Room is Fast Approaching
AGC will host its first ever Utility Infrastructure Conference, Sept. 29–Oct. 1 in Louisville, Kentucky. Join other contractors, owners and key industry constituents involved in every aspect of utility infrastructure construction for high-quality education sessions, the premier utility construction equipment expo, and networking opportunities.
AGC has opened early-bird registration for the Winter 2016 AGC Financial Issues Committee Meeting, which will be held Jan. 13-14, 2016 at Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale, AZ. Meeting agenda and activities will be available on the meeting website in the coming weeks.
Register Now and Save at meetings.agc.org/agc_cfma
Jointly sponsored by AGC and the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA), the 19th Annual AGC/CFMA Construction Financial Management Conference will be held Nov. 4-6, 2015 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nev. This three-day conference offers programs and workshops designed specifically for financial professionals in the construction industry. The 32 interactive sessions will cover the latest industry issues and their financial implications.
A federal judge has blocked the Obama administration's controversial rule defining the scope of Clean Water Act protections from going into effect August 28, 2015.
It is time to start thinking about renewing your U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (LRRP) program certifications, as previously reported by AGC. All construction firms and their employees are subject to the LRRP rule, if they perform regulated renovation activities, such as work that disturbs lead-based paint in homes, child-care facilities or schools, with kids six years or younger, built before 1978.
Earlier this summer, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a draft assessment on hydraulic fracturing’s potential impacts to drinking water resources, along with nine final peer-reviewed EPA reports conducted as part of the study. The draft assessment is based upon extensive review of literature, results from EPA research projects, and technical input from state, industry, non-governmental organizations, the public, and other stakeholders. The assessment follows the water used for hydraulic fracturing from water acquisition, to chemical mixing at the well pad site, to well injection of fracking fluids, to the collection of hydraulic fracturing wastewater (including flowback and produced water), to wastewater treatment and disposal. To comment on the report, visit the docket established by the Science Advisory Board.
