On March 24, ABC joined a coalition of national, state and local trade associations in a letter to the President, urging the administration’s active engagement with the parties to help them reach a final contract, bring the negotiations to a close and end the uncertainty surrounding the operations of the West Coast ports. West Coast port labor negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association have been ongoing since May 2022 with the lack of a solution resulting in a decrease in cargo volumes at West Coast ports, in part to avoid the potential fall-out should the ongoing talks fail.

On March 9, the White House releases the President’s budget proposal for the next fiscal year, which renews calls for tax hikes to support Democrats federal spending priorities in the coming years. ABC joined a broad coalition of organizations in a letter opposing the president’s tax hikes, which would hit small businesses the hardest.

While the president’s budget is not typically approved by Congress, it highlights the administration’s priorities for the coming year and provides a blueprint for his message should he decide to seek another term in office. Throughout the budget proposal, the President also calls for the creation of union only jobs on critical federal construction projects, alluding to the administration’s continued support for ABC-opposed policies that will limit job-opportunities for hard-working Americans in the construction industry.