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.

Following nearly three days of debate and the consideration of 147 amendments, the House of Representatives passed the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act (STRRA) of 2015 by a vote of 363-64. The six-year bill is the first long-term bill to be passed in the House in a decade. The next step is for House and Senate negotiators to work out final details of the bill prior to the expiration of the current extension on Nov. 20. Prior to the vote, AGC sent a letter urging support for passage of the bill. In addition, the AGC –led Transportation Construction Coalition and our partners in the Americans for Transportation Mobility voiced support for passage of the Act.

The Bipartisan Budget Act removes a statutory exemption from penalties under certain statutes, including the Occupational Safety & Health Act, from inflation for civil penalties. Unlike other similar civil penalties in federal law, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) civil penalties have been explicitly exempted from inflation since they were created in 1990. Under the Budget Act, OSHA will now have to report on their adjustment in their annual financial statements and via the Government Accountability Office. The bill also allows the agency to use a “catch up” formula to make up to 150 percent adjustments in the penalty in the first year to meet current inflation levels. The Secretary could limit the increases if there’s a negative economic impact that outweighs benefits and any proposed increase in penalties would go through the formal notice and comment process.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has issued a nationwide stay of the new federal regulation redefining “waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) for the purposes of the Clean Water Act. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposed and then finalized the new regulation in an effort to clarify the scope of the statute’s requirements.

Short-Term Bill Funds Government until Dec. 11 Yesterday, the House and Senate passed a continuing resolution and sent it to the president for his signature to ensure no lapse in government funds today, the first day of fiscal year 2016. The 10 week-stopgap spending bill, which is set to expire on Dec. 11, was passed in the Senate by a vote of 78-20 and the House by a vote 277-151. In both chambers, the only no votes came from Republicans, who refused to support a bill that did not defund Planned Parenthood.