The White House corporate tax reform proposal unveiled by President Barack Obama in Chattanooga, Tenn., is no ‘grand bargain,’ said ABC. Obama’s plan consists of the same corporate tax cuts proposed last year paired with new stimulus spending for infrastructure and manufacturing paid for with one-time tax revenue.

After Thomas E. Perez was sworn in as the new Secretary of the Department of Labor (DOL) July 23, ABC sent a letter congratulating him on his confirmation and asking him to consider ABC’s concerns regarding DOL initiatives. 

The U.S. House of Representatives July 25 passed in a bipartisan vote of 265-155 to pass the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act (H.R. 2218), which would establish a baseline for coal combustion residuals (CCR) disposal while maximizing flexibility for individual states. 

Congress is going on recess. And ABC members have a valuable opportunity to meet with legislators, develop a genuine rapport and communicate the critical issues facing the construction industry. To help members take make the most of the recess, ABC has put together a 2013 Congressional Recess Grassroots Toolkit.

The Construction Users Roundtable will be holding their Fall Skilled Workforce Summit Sept. 11 in Naples, Fla. Learn more andregister on CURT’s website.

ABC members are invited to join a free ConsensusDocs webinar August 20 led by two industry attorneys who will use the ConsensusDocs Teaming Agreement to guide you through the critical terms and conditions that should be included in every teaming agreement. The webinar will also cover issues that should be considered on a team-by-team and project-by-project basis. Register here.

ABC July 17 celebrated a victory after North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory (R) signed a bill (H.B.110) into law that will prohibit state government entities from requiring contractors to sign a project labor agreement (PLA), or any other agreement with labor unions, as a condition of performing work on public construction projects.

ABC July 17 announced  it is relocating its national office from Arlington, Va. to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. ABC signed an 11-year lease with First Potomac Realty Trust for 19,830 square feet of office space at 440 First Street, NW. 

The IRS July 11 released guidance on the one-year delay of the employer shared responsibility provisions (or employer mandate) and information reporting requirements in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The delay was originally announced July 2 by the Treasury Department in a blog post. 

Missouri House Bill 34, which became law on July 15, changes the way prevailing wage rates are determined in the state by taking into consideration both union and nonunion wages and allowing the rates to be calculated by county.