On April 4, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service released additional guidance on the Inflation Reduction Act’s energy communities program bonus tax credits, which are in effect in advance of forthcoming proposed regulations that will implement the credits for all taxable years ending after April 4, 2023.

On March 30, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the ABC-supported H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act, in a bipartisan 225-204 vote, with four Democrats supporting and only one Republican, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., opposing the bill.

On March 29, the U.S. Senate passed the ABC-supported H.J. Res. 27, the Waters of the United States Congressional Review Act Resolution, in a 53-43 vote with the support of all Senate Republicans and five Democrats, Sens. Rosen, Nev., Cortez Masto, Nev., Manchin, W.Va., Tester, Mont., and Sinema, Ariz. Four Senators did not vote.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division is hosting an online forum for employers, contractors, workers and other stakeholders on May 2 and 3 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. The two-day, virtual event will feature panel discussions on compliance with federal laws governing wages and workplace issues, with a specific focus on construction and federal contractors.

On March 29, the U.S. Senate will vote on S. J. Res 7, a joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ 2023 revised Waters of the United States regulation.

On March 24, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed into law S.B. 34 and H.B. 4007, which respectively repeal the state’s right-to-work protections and reinstate prevailing wage requirements for public construction projects. The actions reward labor unions’ substantial financial and political contributions to Michigan Democrats’ unified state governmental control and garnered significant opposition from ABC of Michigan, the wider business community and Republican lawmakers.

In a speech delivered on March 22, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy, Lily Batchelder, indicated that additional guidance on prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements for Inflation Reduction Act clean energy tax credits is months away.

The Biden administration continues to roll back Trump-era initiatives and institute new, pro-union policies that challenge our members’ ability to win work. ABC is fighting against these proposed rules and regulations affecting merit shop contractors and is advocating for open competition and free enterprise.

On March 10, ABC submitted comments on the Office of Management and Budget’s proposed revision of its Guidance for Grants and Agreements, urging the agency to consider supply chain impacts, insufficient implementation information and other negative outcomes as it seeks to expand use of U.S.-made construction components.  <

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas issued a ruling on March 19 blocking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers from enforcing a final rule published by the agencies on Jan. 18 that revises the definition of Waters of the United States, but only in the states of Texas and Idaho. The ruling, the result