ABC submitted comments April 24 to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the proposed rule for the operation and certification of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), also known as drones. ABC offered its input on how the proposal will affect the construction industry’s ability to use drones on project sites. 

In the construction industry, safety should be the number one priority on every jobsite and with the increased use of new technology such as BIM, the industry is finding ways to not only reduce onsite injuries, but to reduce the overall construction schedule at the same time. 

The Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) updated its Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) Benchmark Database April 21 to reflect a new 7 percent annual national benchmark for federal contractor hiring of protected veterans, down from the previous 7.2 percent. 

With Viewpoint’s new app, ShareMyToolbox, users can track their tools and loan or borrow tools instead of going out and buying your own by making connections with friends, family and co-workers through the app. The app is free and available on Apple devices. 

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.

Every year, more than 80,000 workers suffer an injury on construction job sites across the U.S. One incident is one too many— life is too precious not to make safety the number one focus in the U.S. construction industry. With the common goal of building safety together, ABC is joining the Construction Industry Safety (CISI) initiative and the Incident and Injury Free CEO (IIF) Forum for the second annual Safety Week May 3-9. 

In a recent report, McGraw Hill Construction discusses the top causes of uncertainty in construction projects and their effects on the schedule and cost of the projects. Once the top causes were identified, the report dives into ways an entire team from the owner to the architects and the contractors can improve performance.

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.

At ABC’s Legislative Week, you have the opportunity to come to Washington, D.C. and educate members of congress on top-priority issues that affect you, your business and the construction industry. While each region in the country faces different obstacles, certain issues affect ABC members and the merit shop no matter where you are. 

In advance of a hearing on the topic, ABC sent a letter April 14 to the U.S. House of Representatives encouraging Congress to repeal the employer mandate included in the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  

ABC is hosting its first annual Diversity and Inclusion Summit June 22-23 in Washington, D.C. The summit will bring together industry leaders and key stakeholders who understand the value of supplier diversity in construction and who want to network and learn from other like-minded companies and individuals. The event, which is being held in conjunction with ABC’s Legislative Week, is free to the first 100 attendees.

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.

The NLRB’s controversial final rule overhauling its procedures for union elections, commonly known as the “ambush” elections rule, will be going into effect April 14 unless a court blocks enforcement of the new rule.

In order to examine core construction challenges faced during petrochemical facility development, Petrochemical Update hasreleased a whitepaper titled “Best Practice in Petrochemical Construction” featuring in-depth interviews with companies like Ineos, Fluor, S&B Engineers, Turner Industries and WorleyParsons. The whitepaper offers insight on topics such as execution strategies and the pros and cons of bidding out work to individual contractors that could save the companies involved millions in capital expenditure.

In a study evaluating Wisconsin’s approach to calculating prevailing wages and its financial impact on taxpayers, the nonpartisan, nonprofit, and independent Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance (WISTAX) found at least two methodological “flaws” that tend to raise prevailing wages above market rates.

During Vote-A-Rama, the U.S. Senate’s unique tradition which gives senators a chance to have votes on numerous amendments to the Senate’s must-pass budget resolution, the Senate passed an amendment containing language banning government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs).