On April 25, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a memorandum withdrawing a letter of interpretation that stated nonunion employees can authorize an individual “affiliated with a union or a community organization” to act as their representative during agency-sanctioned inspections and other enforcement situations.

On May 2, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Working Families Flexibility Act of 2017 (H.R. 1180), which would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act to provide compensatory time for employees in the private sector. The bill passed by a vote of 229-197.

In his first 100 days in office, President Trump took a variety of actions that impact ABC members culminating in the swearing in of U.S. Department of Labor Secretary R. Alexander Acosta on April 28. Read a statement by ABC President and CEO Michael Bellaman praising President Trump for taking important steps to create a pro-growth business environment and a summary of those actions.

U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary R. Alexander Acosta was sworn in on April 28, giving President Trump a full cabinet just ahead of his 100th day in office. ABC President and CEO Michael Bellaman congratulated Secretary Acosta in a statement released shortly after he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate and committed to working with DOL to address the needs of the construction industry. 

First Lady Melania Trump dedicated the Bunny Mellon Healing Garden at the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., marking its official grand opening on April 28. ABC member Davis Construction served as the general contractor and donated preconstruction, project management and executive leadership services, In addition, Davis did not charge a construction fee to build the space. This gift was valued in excess of $200,000.

ABC was saddened by the news that former ABC President Lawrence Hogan Sr. suffered a stroke and passed away on April 20. A man of integrity who served his country and community for many years, he will surely be missed by those who knew him.

CII’s Annual Conference is the nation’s premiere capital projects conference, bringing together the brightest minds in academia, industry experts and innovative researchers. Discover how CII can help develop your capital projects and build shareholder value for your company. You will hear from a great line-up of some the industry's most dynamic leaders, industry panelists, and keynote speakers. This is an event you can’t afford to miss.

The White House rolled out its tax proposal, which aides have billed as “the biggest individual and business tax cut in American history” on April 26. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and National Economic Council Chair Gary Cohn laid out President Trump’s principles for reform from behind the podium, and a one-page document was distributed to the press.

Construction Executive (CE) is proud to announce its latest editorial award, a Silver Azbee from the Association of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE) for Individual Profile – Mid-Atlantic Region. The article, authored by Managing Editor Lauren Pinch, details the career trajectory and management philosophy of ABC 2016 Chair, David Chapin. The full article can be viewed here. 

A new report released by the Empire Center for Public Policy on April 24 found that prevailing wage requirements inflate the cost of publicly funded construction projects in New York by between 13 percent and 25 percent. The varying percentages are based on the area or region of the state. Taxpayers can expect to pay billions in extra costs, given the tens of billions the state plans to spend on public projects over the next five to 10 years.