On July 31, the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs held a hearing, "Long-Term Economic Benefits and Impacts from Federal Infrastructure and Public Transportation Investment." Prior to the hearing, ABC submitted a letter to the committee highlighting that the Biden-Harris administration's Use of Project Labor Agreements for Federal Construction Projects Final Rule is undermining federal infrastructure investments. Specifically, ABC expressed concern that the rule excludes 89.3% of the private U.S. construction industry workforce, reduces competition and increases costs for the American taxpayer on federal and federally assisted construction projects.

See the full hearing here.

On Dec. 13, ABC submitted comments to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee as they conduct oversight on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

ABC’s letter to the Highways and Transit Subcommittee criticized the modal administrators for their deviations from the bipartisan agreement reached during the IIJA's negotiation, and efforts to incorporate partisan language rejected by the House and Senate that would hinder the success of the IIJA. ABC has previously expressed concerns about these administrative actions, including the DOT’s efforts to impose unlawful and overly burdensome policies and restrictive labor requirements on key federal infrastructure funds and projects.

On Sept. 20, ABC submitted comments to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development hearing titled, “Strengthening WIOA: Improving Outcomes for Jobseekers, Employers, and Taxpayers.” ABC’s letter calls on the committee to pursue policies that recognize the unique challenges facing the construction industry and provide employers with the tools they need to access a well-educated and dedicated workforce.

On Sept. 20, ABC submitted comments to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure hearing titled, “Oversight of the Department of Transportation’s Policies and Programs.” The hearing featured testimony and questions with DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg. ABC commented on specific DOT policies that the department is pursuing outside of congressional authorization/intent such as the significant number of Biden administration federal agency grants – totaling more than $230 billion for infrastructure projects procured by state and local governments – subject to language and policies promoting PLA mandates and preferences that will increase costs and reduce competition on federally assisted construction projects. ABC also provided comments on the ABC-opposed union labor requirements on the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program. The DOT NEVI Formula Program will implement provisions of the IIJA that includes $7.5 billion for electric vehicle charging stations (including $5 billion over five years to install EV chargers mostly along interstate highways).

On Sept. 20, ABC also submitted comments to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee’s markup of S. 2840, the Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act, in support of an amendment offered by Ranking Member Bill Cassidy, R-La., that would ensure funds for construction and renovation of community health centers and other health care facilities are not subject to Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements. The amendment faced defeat in the Democrat-controlled committee and was offered and withdrawn.

On June 20, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee held a markup of ABC-opposed legislation including the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, Paycheck Fairness Act, and Healthy Families Act. Ahead of the hearing, ABC sent a letter to the committee highlighting concerns with the bills marked up in committee and urging members of the committee to oppose the partisan proposals being considered. ABC also joined with the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace to oppose the proposals.

The markup also considered several ABC-backed and Republican led amendments that would limit the damage of these anti-business, anti-worker legislative proposals, including amendments that would address the PRO Act’s provisions on employee privacy, independent contractors, secondary boycotts, and joint employer. Ranking Member Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., also spoke about the ABC-supporting and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., sponsored Employee Rights Act, which would allow workers the freedom and protection they need to decide how they make a living for themselves and their families. You can view the full committee markup here.

On May 23, ABC submitted comments to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions ahead of the subcommittee’s hearing entitled, “Protecting Employees’ Rights: Ensuring Fair Elections at the NLRB.” ABC’s letter highlighted the value of secret ballot elections to ensure that workers have a privacy protected vote that reflects their true preference for unionization in their workplace, criticized the NLRB for recent rulings, and expressed support for the Employee Rights Act that ensures the freedoms, rights, and choices of all America’s workers. You can view the full letter that was submitted for the record here.

On March 8, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee will hold a hearing titled “Defending the Right of Workers to Organize Unions Free from Illegal Corporate Union-Busting,” which will highlight the ABC-opposed Protecting the Right to Organize Act, sponsored by the HELP Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. ABC sent a letter to the committee ahead of tomorrow’s hearing highlighting the most dangerous provisions of the bill and the negative effects they would have on the construction industry and the economy.

While the bill has been reintroduced, with Republicans in control of the U.S. House it will not come up for a vote as it has in previous years and will not meet the 60-vote threshold requirement for passage in the U.S. Senate.

View ABC’s Press Release on the bill here.

On April 19, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and Rep. Rick Allen, R-Ga., reintroduced the ABC-supported Employee Rights Act. The Employee Rights Act stands in stark contrast to the ABC-opposed PRO Act and would strengthen the rights, flexibility and privacy protections of workers. In the face of the Biden administration—through the National Labor Relations Board and U.S. Department of Labor—seeking to implement provisions of the PRO Act through regulatory action, the ERA would prevent this executive overreach through ensuring the use of secret ballots in union elections; stimulating local businesses and entrepreneurship opportunities; defending worker choice and independent contractors; protecting workers from unwanted political exploitation; and safeguarding employee privacy.

ABC signed a letter of support for the bill, which also received support letters from the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace and a diverse coalition of associations and organizations.

ABC also issued a press release highlighting our support for the ERA, and an action alert urging members of Congress to cosponsor the bill.