Momentum continues to build in Congress to repeal the three percent withholding tax, and AGC members and the construction industry have been at the forefront of the repeal campaign. This week AGC sent out individualized state-by-state updates to our members, which named legislators in their state that have not yet cosponsored three percent repeal legislation and encouraged members to take action and contact their representatives.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) stormwater permit revisions would change the way contractors everywhere manage stormwater runoff. The revised construction general permit will replace the current 2008 permit, and EPA is accepting public comments on the draft until July 11, 2011.

AGC has joined an industry group called the “Coalition to Save Our GPS,” which was organized to protect existing GPS receivers from the possibility of interference from the development of a strong signaled wireless broadband system being established by a  company called  LightSquared. LightSquared has petitioned and received a conditional permission from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to expand use of the Mobile Satellite Spectrum (MSS) immediately adjacent to GPS spectrum. The Coalition was formed because studies have shown that the LightSquared system can cause severe interference with millions of GPS receivers currently in use.

On June 23, the House Appropriations Committee approved the fiscal year 2012 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill. The legislation provides annual funding for the Treasury Department, the Executive Office of the President, the Judiciary, the District of Columbia, the Small Business Administration, the General Services Administration, the Federal Communications Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and several other independent agencies.

Contact with Your Congressional Delegation Needed Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Cal.) informed AGC and other transportation and construction stakeholder groups that she is continuing to meet with EPW Committee Ranking Member Sen. Jim Inhofe (Okla.) to write a transportation reauthorization bill that will have bipartisan support.

The House passed legislation this week designed to streamline the permitting process for oil and gas drilling in federal waters off Alaska. The legislation, the Jobs and Energy Permitting Act of 2011, requires the Environmental Protection Agency to take final action on a permit application in six months or less, and it would limit opponents’ ability to appeal permits.

The House cosponsor number has grown from 36 during the week of the AGC convention to 167 this week.   In the Senate we have more cosponsors of repeal already than at any time since enactment. There is still room for growth in the House, there are currently, 103 former cosponsors in House that have yet to cosponsor.  It is a very bipartisan bill in Congress (123 GOP, 44 Dems).  More than 1,000 AGC members responded to the 3% survey this week.

Feedback needed by July 1, 2011 AGC is in the process of surveying members about the 3 percent withholding tax.  The survey, which is designed to measure the potential impact of the new tax on member firms, is part of a broader effort AGC is undertaking to educate members and the media about the need to repeal the incredibly costly new provision. 

AGC Will Monitor Implementation to Protect Contractors from Baseless Fraud Claims

On June 22, AGC sent a letter to House Energy and Commerce Committee members in support of legislation to manage coal combustion residuals, e.g., fly ash, as nonhazardous waste. The industry uses these materials, and has for more than 60 years, in the construction of roads, bridges, buildings and other critical infrastructure.  The markup of the bill was originally scheduled for June 23, but was delayed until after the July 4th holiday recess reportedly to allow more time to strengthen bipartisan support.