The Bottom Line With ABC National's Chief Economist Anirban Basu - Sept. 16, 2020

ABC’s Chief Economist Anirban Basu reports on the construction backlog indicator which rose in August, according to an ABC analysis of data published by the U.S. Census Bureau. Confidence among U.S. construction industry leaders also rose in August regarding sales, staffing levels and profit margins, according to ABC’s Construction Confidence Index. 

The Bottom Line With ABC National's Chief Economist Anirban Basu - Sept. 2, 2020

ABC’s Chief Economist Anirban Basu reports on the national nonresidential construction spending which fell 1.2% in July, according to an ABC analysis of data published by the U.S. Census Bureau.

To learn more visit abc.org/economics.

The Bottom Line with Anirban Basu - August 5, 2020

On this week’s episode of “The Bottom Line with ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu,” Anirban provides an update on nonresidential construction spending in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

House Approves ABC-supported Great American Outdoors Act, Which Would Create 100,000+ Construction Industry Jobs

On July 22, The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Great American Outdoors Act (S. 3422/ H.R. 1957), which was introduced by Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), by a vote of 310-107. The bill is expected to be signed into law by President Trump. Ahead of the vote, ABC sent a letter to the House in support of the legislation, urging the swift consideration and approval of the Senate-passed version of the bill.

The Bottom Line With Anirban Basu - July 14, 2020

Associated Builders and Contractors recently reported that its Construction Backlog Indicator rose to 8.1 months in June, an increase of 0.2 months from May’s reading. CBI is down approximately 8% from its June 2019 level. Every region except the Middle States experienced an increase in backlog in June compared to May, according to an ABC member survey conducted from June 20-July 1. 

House Passes ABC-Opposed $1.5 Trillion Infrastructure Bill with Anti-competitive Mandates

On July 1, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act, on a mostly party line vote of 233 to 188, with three Republicans voting for the bill and two Democrats voting against it. The House Democrats’ infrastructure plan would spend more than $1.5 trillion on surface transportation, airport, school, housing, healthcare, energy, water and broadband infrastructure, however, it also includes numerous anti-merit shop provisions opposed by ABC.

ABC Opposes House Democrats’ $1.5 Trillion Infrastructure Bill with Anti-Merit Shop Provisions

On June 22, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter A. DeFazio (D-Ore.) was joined by six other Democratic House committee chairs in a press conference releasing the  Democratic Infrastructure Bill, H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act.

ABC Urges House to Approve Great American Outdoors Act, Which Would Create 100,000+ Construction Jobs

On June 17, The Great American Outdoors Act (S. 3422), introduced by Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), was passed in the U.S. Senate by a vote of 73-25. This bipartisan legislation would help address the $20 billion deferred maintenance backlog in the Department of the Interior, $12 billion of which is accumulated by the National Park Service, creating thousands of construction jobs in the process.

ABC’s Chief Economist Delivers Mid-Year Forecast in Construction Executive Webinar

On June 10, ABC’s Construction Executive magazine held a webinar featuring ABC chief economist Anirban Basu that focused on how the COVID-19 pandemic has rocked a nearly invincible economy, wreaking havoc on the construction industry, and how the current recession might dovetail into prospective growth in the future.

ABC Welcomes Executive Order That Expedites Infrastructure Investments

On June 4, President Trump signed executive order 13927, which directs federal agencies to expedite the delivery of transportation infrastructure projects, an action ABC said will streamline permitting and facilitate infrastructure improvements while protecting the environment, health and safety.