Sen. Saxby Chambliss’ (R-Ga.) surprise decision not to seek a third term will ignite a major firestorm for the Republican nomination. Aside from former presidential candidate Herman Cain and ex-Secretary of State Karen Handel being mentioned as candidates, almost every member of the congressional delegation are at the very least testing the waters to run.
AGC has received reports from multiple chapters that state legislatures are considering establishing or strengthening their government procurements 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.
The Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s (TTI) annual Urban Mobility Report was released this week. It details the $121 billion in costs Americans incurred in time and fuel from clogged roads in 2011. Traffic congestion cost each motorist $818 in 2011 – based on wasted gasoline, lost productivity and increased vehicle maintenance costs.
At AGC’s 94th Annual Convention in Palm Springs, Calif., the Highway and Transportation Division will meet on Friday, March 8 – the session will feature Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Calif.) who will be discussing the outlook for transportation legislation and funding in the 113th Congress. Rep. Denham is the Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
This week, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its semi-annual estimate of the status of the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) based on revenue flowing in. The CBO also anticipated expenditures based on current law requirements. CBO estimates that the highway account and the transit account will be able to meet obligations through the end of FY 2014, but will not have sufficient revenue to meet all obligations for FY 2015. CBO points out that this estimate does not include any reduction in the amounts transferred from the general fund to the HTF as a result of MAP-21.
Earlier this week, President Obama discussed his desire for Congress to pass a smaller package of spending cuts and tax increases that would delay the sequester for a few more months until Congress can find a way to replace these cuts with a more balanced solution. However, the president did not provide any detailed information of what spending cuts and tax increases he supports.
The open Iowa campaign is expected to include competitive party primaries as well as a tough general election race. It is not out of the realm of possibility that all four of Iowa's sitting U.S. Representatives could jump into the Senate or Governor's race, but the true field of candidates will take some time to forge, as the Harkin retirement decision came as a bit of a surprise.
Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) and Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) recently introduced the “Government Neutrality in Contracting Act” (S.109/H.R. 436) in both the Senate and House, respectively. This legislation would prohibit federal contracting agencies from mandating that contractors and unions enter project labor agreements (PLAs) on direct federal projects. In addition, the bill would preserve the right of contractors and unions to voluntarily negotiate and execute project labor agreements on federal projects, if they so choose.
On Jan. 25, with the help of the AGC-supported Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (CDW) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, an important court challenge was won. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued a decision in Noel Canning v. NLRB – a key case (of several separate cases) challenging the validity of three “recess appointments” President Obama made to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in January 2012.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Sen. John Kerry to succeed Hilary Clinton as the next Secretary of State. Moving quickly to fill the Senate seat vacancy, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick appointed Mo Cowan, his former chief of staff, to replace the commonwealth’s senior Senator and serve as a caretaker until the June 25 special general election.