The U.S. economy expanded at a 3.5 percent annualized rate during the third quarter of 2018, according to an ABC analysis of U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data. This represents the first time there have been two consecutive quarters of 3 percent-plus growth since the beginning of 2015.

Last week, ABC government affairs staff traveled to the Grand Canyon state to visit members of the Arizona Builders Alliance. They visited 140 ABA member companies in the Tucson and Phoenix areas, delivering important “get-out-the-vote” information and industry-specific election materials, including the ABC Votes and We Build America websites. 

On Oct. 23, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a proposed rule that would allow small and mid-sized businesses to band together and offer 401(k) plans to their employees through Association Retirement Plans.

On Oct. 23, the U.S. Departments of Labor, Treasury and Health and Human Services jointly issued a proposed rule, Health Reimbursement Arrangements and Other Account-Based Group Health Plans, that seeks to expand the availability of affordable health insurance for hardworking Americans by increasing the usability of health reimbursement arrangements.

On Oct. 17, the Trump Administration released its Fall 2018 Regulatory Plan and Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. The agenda lists upcoming rulemakings and other regulatory actions from each agency that the administration expects to publish through the end of the year and in 2019.

Construction Executive magazine won three honorable mentions in the 2018 Folio: Eddie Awards for association/nonprofit newsletter, website and profile/Q&A. CE This Week, ConstructionExec.com and Stepping Up to Serve, featuring 2018 ABC National Chair George Nash, brought the Construction Executive tally of editorial awards nearly 30 since its first issue in 2003.

ABC members and chapters have a new tool to engage college students in construction-related degree programs nationwide. A new video shows how the ABC National Student Chapter Network gives faculty members and college students real-world information and experience through membership meetings, guest speakers, internships, community service projects, fundraisers, career fairs, jobsite tours and more.

Project labor agreements are special interest schemes that end open, fair and competitive bidding on public works projects. PLAs drive up the cost of construction by reducing competition and effectively excluding merit shop contractors and their skilled employees from building projects paid for by their own tax dollars. Check out ABC’s new video below to learn more about PLAs. 

If you’ve recently been in an airport or watched either the Masters Tournament or the World Series, you’ve probably heard the terms cloud computing, artificial intelligence and Internet of Things. But what do these terms imply for someone working in the construction industry? ABC President and CEO Mike Bellaman invites ABC members to educate themselves about the digital builder of the future by checking out a new book, Precision Construction, available for Kindle today, with print and audiobook versions due out shortly. Sign up 

ABC was one of 17 member organizations of the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention that met recently in Washington, D.C., to collaborate on how to equip companies to better address mental health issues and reduce the risk of suicide in the construction industry. Members of the Alliance, which was classified as a 501(c)(3) public charity this summer, formed governance, fundraising, education and marketing task forces during a strategic planning session during National Suicide Prevention Month.