The House continues to debate the Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills (SKILLS) Act, H.R. 803, which will help reform the nation’s job training system by strengthening employer engagement in state and local workforce decisions, as well as giving states and localities more flexibility and better aligning Registered Apprenticeship programs with local workforce investment systems or workforce investment boards. AGC supports the legislation and floor vote is expected tomorrow. However, the bill faces an uphill battle after that.

On March 12, the House Ways and Means Committee released a discussion draft on small business tax reform. The package is designed to simplify the tax code by identifying ways to make compliance easier for small business entities.  This is the third topic covered by the committee in discussion drafts; the first was territorial treatment of overseas income, while the second dealt with the taxation of financial instruments.  This package hits closer to AGC members’ basic concerns.  The package was released Tuesday and the Committee is currently accepting comments.

2013 fundraising efforts for AGC PAC kicked into high gear at AGC’s 94th Annual Convention held last week in Palm Springs when AGC PAC surpassed its projected goal of $200,000.  The final tally showed contributions from 160 individuals totaling more than $233,000.  Equally impressive was the fact that more than 75 percent of the contributors gave at the 535 Club level ($1,500 or more). 

Former Cook County CEO Robin Kelly (D) easily won the special Democratic primary to replace resigned Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. earlier this week. She outdistanced former Rep. Debbie Halvorson (D-Ill.-11) and Chicago Alderman Anthony Beale 52-25-11 percent. Sixteen candidates received votes, but only the aforementioned three broke into double-digits. Cook County accounted for 82 percent of the votes cast. Though Halvorson received 63 and 66 percent of the vote in her two counties of strength, their aggregate total vote was quadrupled in Cook County.

On  March 6, the U.S. House Education and Workforce Committee passed the Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills (SKILLS) Act, H.R. 803, which will help reform the nation’s job training system by strengthening employer engagement in state and local workforce decisions, as well as giving states and localities more flexibility.  The bill was approved by the committee in a vote of 23-0, while all Democrats on the committee refused to offer a vote.

On March 5, the U.S. House Education and Workforce’s Subcommittee on Heath, Employment, Labor and Pensions held a hearing titled, “Challenges Facing Multi-employer Pension Plans: Reviewing the Latest Findings by PBGC and GAO.”  Harold Force, president of Force Construction Co. in Columbus, Ind., testified on behalf of AGC of America and was the sole employer witness. 

AGC Forecast Confirmed: Over $4 billion in Federal Construction Cuts On March 1, Congressional leadership and President Obama failed to reach a deal to avert the $85 billion in automatic and indiscriminate budget cuts, called sequestration. Consequently, the president signed an order initiating the spending cuts late Friday evening.  ENR Engineering News-Record recently reported that the cuts will exceed $4 billion in federal construction funding, as AGC previously forecasted in its sequestration report. 

On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2013 funding measure that will provide for government spending through Sept. 30, 2013.  The bill combined the Defense and Military Construction/Veterans Affairs appropriations bills with a stopgap continuing resolution (CR) for the rest of the appropriations bills. The bill passed by a vote of 267-151; 14 Republicans and 137 Democrats opposed the bill.

On Friday, Congressional leadership and President Obama failed to reach a deal to avert the $85 billion in automatic and indiscriminate budget cuts, called sequestration. The president signed an order directing the start of the spending cuts late Friday evening.  AGC has estimated that $4 billion in federal construction funding could be cut...

AGC is getting additional reports from multiple chapters across the country that state legislatures are considering establishing or strengthening their state government procurement laws regarding domestic sourcing. Many of these efforts would restrict access to well-established global supply chains and increase the administrative burden on contractors. To certify that products and materials used in the construction process meet requirements, it will often necessitate manufacturer certifications that are difficult or impossible to procure.