Contact your member of Congress Today, Rule to Take Effect April 14 The National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) rule on representation-case procedures goes into effect on April 14, 2015. Known as the “quickie election” or “ambush election” rule, it would expedite the union representation election cycle to as few as 14 days from the union’s filing of a petition for an election. It is bad for both employers and employees. It would deny employers due process by limiting review of critical issues such as identifying the appropriate bargaining unit and voter eligibility potentially until after the vote is held. It would also limit workers’ access to information and provide inadequate time for workers to consider information about joining the union.

Recently, AGC sent two letters opposing the possible use of a project labor agreement (PLA) mandate posted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. One letter addressed concerns about a possible PLA mandate for an intake diversion dam in Montana, while the other opposed consideration of PLAs within the Charleston District area of jurisdiction.

On Wednesday, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing to hear from economists and public policy professors on the context of comprehensive tax reform. Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) asked witnesses about integrating corporate and individual income taxes into a single level of taxation. Ranking Member Wyden (D-Ore.) focused his questions on simplifying tax paperwork and funding for infrastructure. Expert witness Laura Tyson, who served as head of President Clinton’s Council of Economic Advisers, told the Finance panel that Congress should maintain accelerated depreciation, as well as others that “actually enhance new investments.”

The AGC Board of Directors put the finishing touches on AGC’s legislative and regulatory priorities for the 114th Congress which spans 2015 and 2016.  The Board made the final changes to a list that was developed by the AGC Legislative Action Committee in December. 

On Tuesday, the Senate Finance Committee held a markup to approve 17 tax measures with a combined cost of about $312 million. Among the measures was a change to the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA). The legislation offered by Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) would increase the ownership stake that a foreign investor can take in a U.S. publicly traded real-estate investment trust (REIT) without triggering FIRPTA liability and extend the provision to certain collective investment vehicles. Specifically, it increases the FIRPTA exemption for “portfolio investors” in a U.S. publicly traded REIT from 5 to 10 percent for purposes of capital gains dividends and sales of REIT shares. The committee approved all the measures by a voice vote.

On July 31, 2014, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) issued a proposed rule on Criteria and Procedures for Assessment of Civil Penalties under 30 CFR Part 100.  The proposal seeks to make several significant changes to the existing Part 100.

Participate in the TCC Fly-In, April 14-15 This spring, without help from Congress, funding for highway, bridge & transit construction projects is projected to once again run out.  Your company’s future is reliant on Congress finding a solution to the insolvency of the Highway Trust Fund.  Face-to-face visits with your senators and representative are critical to affecting change.   

Register Now & Save $100! Want to learn about the latest federal agency projects set to hit the street in your market? Need to brush up on the latest barrage of federal regulations your business must follow?  Attend the AGC Federal Contractors Conference May 12-14, 2015, at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. to learn all this information and more to help ensure you stay ahead of your competition.

House Small Business Committee to Introduce Legislation Soon Earlier today, Randall Gibson—AGC NAVFAC Committee chair and president of Whitesell-Green, a small general contractor based in Florida—testified on behalf of AGC before the House Small Business Committee on a host of procurement reform issues. In the testimony, AGC encouraged members of the committee and Congress to:

Legislation has been introduced in both the House and Senate to nullify the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rule on representation-case procedures. Visit AGC’s Legislative Action Center and write to your elected officials urging them to support this legislation.  The AGC-opposed rule will go into effect April 14 unless Congress acts or a litigation challenge is successful.