The U.S. Department of Transportation recently announced the expiration on Nov. 10 of a general waiver to Buy America requirements imposed by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. With this expiration, the IIJA’s expanded Buy America requirements are now in effect for most federally funded infrastructure projects. The DOT proposed two narrower waivers that will exempt a limited number of projects from these requirements.

On Nov. 22, the ABC-led Coalition for a Democratic Workplace requested that the National Labor Relations Board issue a 30-day extension to the comment period for the board’s new notice of proposed rulemaking addressing election-blocking charges, voluntary

With essentially all House races called, Republicans are on pace to hold the House majority by approximately the same margin that Democrats enjoyed in the 117th Congress—around five seats. On the heels of Democrat John Fetterman’s defeat of Dr. Mehmet Oz, Republican, to flip retiring Republican Sen. Pat Toomey’s seat in Pennsylvania, Democrats will return to the Senate majority.

On Nov. 30, the U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of legislation to end a labor standoff that threatened a stoppage of rail service and a labor strike that would have a significant impact on the U.S. economy and lead to further inflationary pressure. Lawmakers voted 290-137 on H.J. Res. 100 to use their authority in the Railway Labor Act to force the adoption of the National Tentative Agreement reached in September. The House also approved H. Con. Res. 119 by a vote of 221-207, which would provide seven days of paid sick leave for the rail workers covered in the agreement.

The U.S. Department of Transportation recently announced the expiration on Nov. 10 of a general waiver to Buy America requirements imposed by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. With this expiration, the IIJA’s expanded Buy America requirements are now in effect for most federally funded infrastructure projects. The DOT proposed two narrower waivers that will exempt a limited number of projects from these requirements.

The ABC-led Coalition for a Democratic Workplace has created a grassroots toolkit to tell the National Labor Relations Board to abandon its radical joint employer proposed rule. The toolkit provides an explanation of the rulemaking and a ready-to-send letter to the NLRB explaining why the new joint employer standard would be disastrous. Take action now before the Dec. 7 comment deadline! ABC will also be submitting comments opposing the new rule.

On Nov. 8, ABC joined the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace and six other employer organizations in filing an amicus brief before the U.S. Supreme Court to request that the court reverse the judgment of the Washington Supreme Court in Glacier Northwest, Inc v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The Washington Supreme Court’s decision stated that the National Labor Relations Board preempts state tort suits, allowing unions and their supporters to intentionally destroy an employer’s property while claiming to be engaged in protected concerted activity.

On Nov. 3, the National Labor Relations Board issued a new notice of proposed rulemaking addressing election-blocking charges, voluntary recognition and construction industry bargaining relationships. The proposal rescinds the ABC-supported 2020 NLRB final rule, which would 

Since August, ABC’s Free Enterprise Alliance has spent $2.7 million on get-out-the-vote campaigns and—separately—issue advocacy. Additionally, ABC PAC raised $1.7 million and contributed $1.6 million directly to federal candidates that believe in free enterprise and open competition, placing ABC among the most politically active trade associations in the nation over the 2021-2022 election cycle.

On Oct. 31, an ABC-led coalition of 22 construction and energy groups sent a letter to the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service requesting a 60-day extension of the Nov. 4 deadline in response to their request for comments regarding implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act. Specifically, the agencies requested comments on Davis-Bacon and government-registered apprenticeship requirements for applicable clean energy construction projects. A previous extension request by ABC has received no response.