On April 22, 218 members of the House officially signed onto legislation (H.R. 928) that seeks to repeal the health insurance tax (HIT). The HIT is a measure of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that increases premiums for coverage from the fully insured market, where almost 90 percent of small businesses purchase health coverage.

Every year, more than 80,000 workers suffer an injury on construction job sites across the U.S. One incident is one too many— life is too precious not to make safety the number one focus in the U.S. construction industry. With the common goal of building safety together, ABC is joining the Construction Industry Safety (CISI) initiative and the Incident and Injury Free CEO (IIF) Forum for the second annual Safety Week May 3-9. 

In a recent report, McGraw Hill Construction discusses the top causes of uncertainty in construction projects and their effects on the schedule and cost of the projects. Once the top causes were identified, the report dives into ways an entire team from the owner to the architects and the contractors can improve performance.

As a part of the Acquisition Reform Working Group (ARWG), ABC along with employer groups and associations representing federal contractors sent a letter April 20 to the U.S. House and Senate Armed Services Committees outlining major concerns with President Obama’s Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order (E.O. 13673). 

The Government Neutrality in Contracting Act (H.R. 1671/S. 71) aims to protect federal and federally-assisted construction contracts from union-favoring project labor agreements (PLAs) mandated by government agencies. If passed, this legislation will allow merit shop contractors to have a fair chance at competing to rebuild America's infrastructure.

At ABC’s Legislative Week, you have the opportunity to come to Washington, D.C. and educate members of congress on top-priority issues that affect you, your business and the construction industry. While each region in the country faces different obstacles, certain issues affect ABC members and the merit shop no matter where you are. 

In advance of a hearing on the topic, ABC sent a letter April 14 to the U.S. House of Representatives encouraging Congress to repeal the employer mandate included in the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  

ABC is hosting its first annual Diversity and Inclusion Summit June 22-23 in Washington, D.C. The summit will bring together industry leaders and key stakeholders who understand the value of supplier diversity in construction and who want to network and learn from other like-minded companies and individuals. The event, which is being held in conjunction with ABC’s Legislative Week, is free to the first 100 attendees.

A diverse coalition of construction industry associations and employer groups led by ABC sent a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives April 13 opposing government-mandated project labor agreements and anti-competitive PLA preferences used by federal agencies as a result of President Obama’s pro-PLA Executive Order 13502 and related regulations. The letter asks lawmakers to cosponsor the Government Neutrality in Contracting Act (H.R. 1671) which was introduced by Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) and has been referred to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

The NLRB’s controversial final rule overhauling its procedures for union elections, commonly known as the “ambush” elections rule, will be going into effect April 14 unless a court blocks enforcement of the new rule.