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On Dec. 18, the U.S. Senate approved an en bloc nominations package that included 97 Trump administration nominees. The 53-43 party-line vote was made possible by the Senate’s recent move to lower the threshold for subcabinet level positions to a simple majority rather than the typical, 60-vote threshold.

On Dec. 22, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor rescinded an ABC-opposed rule on Nondisplacement of Qualified Workers Under Service Contracts, effective immediately. This rescission was issued in accordance with President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14148, Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions.

On Jan. 5, as part of the Waters Advocacy Coalition, ABC joined comments on a U.S Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposed rule that would streamline the federal permitting process under the Clean Water Act by clarifying the definition of “waters of the United States.”

On Dec. 22, 2025, federal restrictions implementing provisions of H.R.2670, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024, took effect. The restrictions, enacted under the American Security Drone Act of 2023, prohibit contractors and recipients of federal funds from operating, or using federal funds to procure or operate, certain foreign-manufactured unmanned aircraft systems on federal and federally assisted projects.

ABC has added two new additions to the Beam Club. Jim Abbott of Claro Advisors LLC, Boston, a member of the Massachusetts chapter, earned the Presidential Level. Tom Altmann of Altmann Construction Co. Inc., Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, a member of the Wisconsin chapter, reached the Hall of Fame Level.

ABC congratulates another 23 companies for earning their Accredited Quality Contractor credential this month. AQC recognizes and honors construction firms that document their commitment to excellence in key areas of corporate responsibility: quality, health and safety, craft and management education, talent management and community relations.

On Nov. 17, Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) Adam Telle and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin signed a proposed rule aiming to streamline the federal permitting process under the Clean Water Act by clarifying the definition of “waters of the United States.”

On Nov. 13, Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., reintroduced the Affordable Housing Expansion Act, which streamlines outdated federal regulations under the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts and helps expand affordable housing nationwide.

On Nov. 5, ABC sent a letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions ahead of its Nov. 6 hearing, “Registered Apprenticeship: Scaling the Workforce for the Future.”

On Oct. 30, ABC submitted post-hearing comments to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration in response to OSHA’s informal public hearing on its Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings proposed rule. On June 18, ABC participated in the informal public hearing and was asked a series of questions by OSHA, which ABC’s comments address.