The House Committee on Education and the Workforce approved the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act, a bill that would rein in the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and disallow the NLRB to use executive action to streamline the union representation elections. The NLRB is attempting to speed up elections and limit appeals and procedural safeguards that protect the integrity of representation elections.

As reported last week, the Senate considered, but was unable to set up, a final vote on a FY 2012 “minibus” appropriations package. However, after securing a unanimous consent agreement, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced that a vote on final passage of the appropriations bill is scheduled for Nov. 1.  The "minibus" includes FY 2012 appropriations bills for the Departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture and Commerce/Justice/Science.  The Senate voted on several amendments to the package last week.  Next week, under the unanimous consent agreement, the Senate will vote on additional amendments prior to a vote on final passage.

AGC is helping Representatives Reid Ribble (R-Wisc.) and Tom Reed (R-N.Y.) circulate a letter that will be delivered to Republican leaders. The letter highlights support for transportation investment as necessary for economic growth and urges action on a multiyear transportation bill.  The letter is being circulated among Republicans in the House and has about 50 signatures so far.

AGC's chief executive officer, Stephen E. Sandherr, issued the following statement today in response to the House vote (by a margin of 405 to 16) to repeal the 3 percent tax withholding measure: "An overwhelming majority of Representatives understand that the 3 percent tax withholding measure would force construction firms to provide the federal government with interest-free loans at a time when construction activity has declined by $400 billion and unemployment rates stand at over 13 percent.  Such a measure would force contractors to cut staff, purchase less equipment and raise bid levels for publicly funded projects, as a survey the association released last week found.

On Oct. 17, the Senate passed, by unanimous consent, S. 275, the Pipeline Transportation Safety Improvement Act of 2011.  The legislation would authorize more federal safety inspectors, increase penalties for violations and require pipeline companies verify their records on pipelines’ physical and operational characteristics and establish maximum operating pressures based on the verified information.

The bipartisan leadership of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee; Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Ranking Member James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee Max Baucus (D-Mont.), and subcommittee Ranking member David Vitter (R-La.) announced today that they will markup a two-year surface transportation bill on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 10:00 a.m.  According to the announcement, the bill, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), maintains spending at current levels plus inflation, greatly increases leveraging of federal dollars, and reforms the programs’ administration.

The Senate began consideration this week of the FY 2012 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations legislation. Congress has failed to enact any of the appropriations bills necessary to fund the federal government in FY 2012, and the stop gap continuing resolution currently in place expires on Nov. 18. The transportation appropriations bill has been consolidated with two other appropriations bills in an attempt to expedite the process. A final vote on the legislation is expected late tonight or tomorrow.

Last Week, the House Committee on Ways and Means approved, unanimously, H.R. 674, which will repeal 3 percent withholding.  The full House is expected to vote next week on the bill.    Please contact your representative to urge them to support passage of this legislation.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed AGC-supported legislation, H.R. 2273, the Coal Residuals and Management Act on Friday by a vote of 267 to 144. The bill prevents coal combustion residuals (e.g., fly ash) from being designated as “hazardous” materials.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designation would have limited the use of fly ash in construction.

AGC of Colorado Building Chapter and the Colorado Contractors Association met with first-term Rep. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) on Sept. 28 to discuss construction industry legislative issues and deliver a federal AGC PAC contribution for his reelection campaign. The PAC helps AGC chapters and members build relationships with their construction-friendly federal lawmakers by showing the industry's support for their election efforts.