Newsline

As of Oct. 1, the federal government is shut down, as Congress has failed to reach a deal to pass legislation to fund the government. This story was updated on Oct. 8 to include additional resources.

If Congress fails to reach a deal to pass legislation to fund the federal government, the government will shut down on Oct. 1.

​​​​​​​Associated Builders and Contractors applauds Rep. Lloyd Smucker, R-Pa., for the reintroduction of the bipartisan H.R. 5494, the Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act. The act establishes a targeted, nonfarm, temporary worker visa program with built-in safeguards to protect both employers and employees. The bill ensures that jobs remain open and available to American workers first, while giving businesses a legal, reliable pathway to fill long-standing vacancies.

​​​​​​​On July 1, a diverse group of lawmakers from around the country sent letters to President Donald Trump urging him to rescind the Biden-era rule requiring project labor agreements on federal construction projects of $35 million or more. Ninety-five members of the U.S. House of Representatives and 21 members of the U.S. Senate signed the letters expressing serious concerns over the administration’s decision to double down on a policy that is inherently exclusionary, anti-competitive and costly for American taxpayers.

ABC’s Free Enterprise Alliance has launched an issue advocacy campaign in Missouri, Kansas, Ohio and the Washington, D.C. metro area to educate elected officials and the public on Sen. Josh Hawley’s, R-Mo., Pro-Worker Framework for the 119th Congress that includes sections of the ABC-opposed Protecting the Right to Organize Act and the Warehouse Worker Protection Act.

On March 11, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1968, a continuing resolution to keep the government funded at current levels through the end of fiscal year 2025. Passage of the CR is a major win for Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and House Republicans, who navigated a slim GOP majority to get the bill across the finish line in the House as the March 14 government funding deadline rapidly approaches.

On Feb. 25, 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed H. Con. Res. 14, the Republican budget resolution, with a 217-215 vote. The resolution directs congressional committees to identify significant reductions in spending to account for the extension of tax cuts in the ABC-supported Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, other tax relief measures and energy and national security provisions. The House resolution also included several ABC-supported nonbinding policy statements.

In the latest development in the ongoing Corporate Transparency Act debate, the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network announced on Feb. 27 that it will cease enforcement of the CTA while it crafts a new set of regulations that will ultimately narrow the scope of the reporting regime. The release comes as the CTA’s reporting requirements were scheduled to take effect once again beginning March 21.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced the reversal of a controversial Biden administration policy mandating project labor agreements on solicitations for construction contracts of $35 million or more. The policy change is expected to restore merit-based competition for taxpayer-funded contracts to build VA hospitals, outpatient facilities, office buildings, national cemeteries and other construction projects.

On Feb. 12, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., reintroduced the ABC-supported National Right to Work Act. The bill would prevent workers from being forced to join a union or pay union dues as a condition of employment, protecting the free choice of individual employees.