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Gov. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) signed the ABC-led repeal of common construction wage into law May 6, eliminating prevailing wage requirements for publicly-funded construction projects in Indiana effective July 1. The ABC Indiana/Kentucky chapter played a significant role in ensuring the state understood the negative effects the legislation has on taxpayers, helping to make Indiana the 19th state with no prevailing wage requirements on taxpayer-funded construction.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act April 30 for Fiscal Year 2016 (H.R. 2029). While on the floor, two amendments were introduced that impact federal contractors.

On April 22, 218 members of the House officially signed onto legislation (H.R. 928) that seeks to repeal the health insurance tax (HIT). The HIT is a measure of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that increases premiums for coverage from the fully insured market, where almost 90 percent of small businesses purchase health coverage.

As a part of the Acquisition Reform Working Group (ARWG), ABC along with employer groups and associations representing federal contractors sent a letter April 20 to the U.S. House and Senate Armed Services Committees outlining major concerns with President Obama’s Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order (E.O. 13673). 

The Government Neutrality in Contracting Act (H.R. 1671/S. 71) aims to protect federal and federally-assisted construction contracts from union-favoring project labor agreements (PLAs) mandated by government agencies. If passed, this legislation will allow merit shop contractors to have a fair chance at competing to rebuild America's infrastructure.

A diverse coalition of construction industry associations and employer groups led by ABC sent a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives April 13 opposing government-mandated project labor agreements and anti-competitive PLA preferences used by federal agencies as a result of President Obama’s pro-PLA Executive Order 13502 and related regulations. The letter asks lawmakers to cosponsor the Government Neutrality in Contracting Act (H.R. 1671) which was introduced by Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) and has been referred to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

President Obama March 31 signed a memorandum of disapproval effectively vetoing the joint resolution to block the NLRB’s ambush election rule, which will shorten the amount of time between when a union files a representation petition and an election takes place to as few as 14 calendar days beginning on April 14. ABC is continuing their legal challenge to this rule.

ABC sent a letter to the U.S. Senate March 25 in support of an amendment being offered by Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) to the Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Resolution (S. Con. Res. 11), which would prohibit construction contracts from being awarded based on whether or not companies enter into agreements with labor organizations. Due to this amendment’s immediate impact on the merit shop construction industry, ABC will consider this a Key Vote for the 114th congressional scorecard.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a joint resolution March 19 to block the NLRB’s ambush election rule which will take a big step toward protecting both the due process rights of employers and the privacy rights of employees.  ABC is fully supportive of the resolution, which now moves on to the president, and has urged President Obama to sign it.

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval (R) March 6 signed S.B. 119, which will exempt K-12 and higher education school construction from state prevailing wage requirements beginning immediately.