AGC Continues Push for Economic Stimulus Infrastructure Funding

AGC presented testimony to the House T&I Committee in support of the infrastructure investment included in the economic stimulus legislation under consideration. Presenting AGC's testimony was George Mason University economist Stephen Fuller who made the arguments that the current stimulus plan's proposed infrastructure investments would create or support more than 1.85 million new jobs between now and the end of 2010.  He said that would include over 620,000 construction jobs, 300,000 jobs in supplying industries and 930,000 jobs throughout the broader economy. Fuller noted, for example, that the construction industry has plenty of capacity to handle the range of infrastructure projects being considered in the stimulus legislation.  He added that the planned infrastructure funding would account for approximately 9 percent of current construction funding nationwide at a time when construction output is down 14 percent and employment in the constructions sector.  This is the third time in recent weeks that AGC has been asked to presented testimony to Congressional committees concerning the status of the construction market and the impact of stimulus funding on the construction economy.