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.

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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.

 

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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.

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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.

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ABC Calls for Open Competition and an All-of-the-Above Workforce Development Strategy in Senate Water Infrastructure Draft Bills

On May 1, ABC sent a letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works advocating for improvements to draft legislation that is being considered by the committee, the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2020 and the Drinking Water Infrastructure Act of 2020.

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FMCSA Waiver Announcement for Commercial Learners Permit Holders

In response to the president’s national emergency declaration, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has announced a three-month waiver to prevent the possible shortage of commercial motor vehicle drivers and continue to allow intrastate and interstate commercial driver’s license (CDL) and commercial learners permit (CLP) holders to transport critical goods and supplies to businesses and individuals affected by COVID-19.

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ABC Weighs In on House Subcommittee Hearing on Infrastructure Investment

On Feb. 26, ABC sent a letter calling on Congress to consider how its infrastructure investment agenda could impact merit shop contractors and the small business community during a hearing titled Moving America’s Infrastructure Forward. Convened by U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Small Business’ Contracting and Infrastructure Subcommittee, the hearing was timed to coordinate with the recent release of Democrats’ $760 billion infrastructure investment framework, the Moving Forward Framework.  

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Rep. Foxx Reintroduces Highway Trust Fund Reform Act With Davis-Bacon Exemption

ABC supports the Highway Trust Fund Reform Act of 2019 (H.R. 3904), legislation introduced on July 24 by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) that would exempt federally funded or federally assisted Highway Trust Fund projects from federal Davis-Bacon requirements, known as prevailing wage. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that repealing Davis-Bacon would save the Federal Highway Administration more than $700 million a year.

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Infrastructure Week 2019 is May 13-20

ABC will be celebrating the seventh annual Infrastructure Week, May 13-20, with an awareness campaign highlighting the critical importance of infrastructure to America’s economic competitiveness, security, job creation and in the daily lives of Americans. The future of America will be shaped by the infrastructure-related choices we make today—so let’s all prepare to #BuildForTomorrow! Read the rest of entry »

Senate Approves Must-pass Legislation for Water Infrastructure

On Oct. 10, the U.S. Senate approved the America’s Water Infrastructure Act, a waterways infrastructure bill that requires reauthorization every two years, with a bipartisan 99-1 vote. The House passed the bill earlier this year, and the president is expected to sign it into law this week. The legislation authorizes at least $9 billion for critical water infrastructure projects across America, including flood protection and drinking water improvement projects. Read the rest of entry »