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Tell Congress to Fund Infrastructure in Tax Reform

Contact your Representatives and Senators
There is still time before the end of the August congressional recess for you to reach out to your representative and senators and tell them to fix the Highway Trust Fund as part of tax reform and invest in transportation infrastructure. Congress does not return to Washington until next Tuesday and we encourage all our members to use this time to meet with and email your members of Congress and tell them to include a permanent Highway Trust Fund fix as part of any tax reform or new infrastructure initiative.
The Hardhats for Highways site has additional information including a TCC background document and talking points for your visits.
For more information, contact Sean O’Neill at [email protected] or (202) 547-8892.

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AGC Makes Case to Link Infrastructure and Tax Reform

As Congress and the Administration work toward their mutual goal of passing comprehensive tax reform and a new infrastructure initiative, AGC continues to make the case to leaders on Capitol Hill that rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure and reforming our outdated tax code should go hand-in-hand.  Many Republicans and Democrats in Congress agree that combining tax and infrastructure reform into one package makes perfect sense.  In fact, members of both parties in the House of Representatives sent President Trump a letter earlier this year expressing their support in pursuing an infrastructure and tax reform package, saying “comprehensive tax reform could free up significant capital for infrastructure as well as other investments enabling businesses large and small to invent, innovate and hire.
AGC continues to advocate for reforms to the tax code that would benefit the construction industry, and recently sent a letter to the Senate Finance Committee outlining those priorities.  But, including infrastructure in tax reform would have a positive impact on economic growth in the short and long term.  In the short term, a recent report by the Congressional Budget Office noted, every dollar invested in infrastructure, on average, generates as much as $2.50 in incremental output over the following six quarters.  This is the highest multiplier among all major Federal spending programs or from tax cuts to individuals and businesses.  In the long-term, infrastructure investments can boost our economy by creating significantly more new and high-paying jobs in construction and related fields.  These investments will also make businesses more competitive by reducing shipping, commuting, water and energy costs.
At AGC’s upcoming National Chapter Leader Conference (NCLC) – September 24-26 – participants will be going to Capitol Hill to make the case that infrastructure investment should be a part of tax reform.  Among AGC’s infrastructure priorities are to find a permanent fix for the Highway Trust Fund, maintain the tax exempt status of municipal bonds, ensure and expand the use of Private Activity Bonds, establish a Clean Water Trust Fund, increase funding for airport infrastructure, and make better use of federal buildings and property.
For more information, contact Sean O’Neill at [email protected] or (202) 547-8892.

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Register for the AGC/CFMA Construction Financial Management Conference

Jointly sponsored by AGC and CFMA, the 21st Annual AGC/CFMA Construction Financial Management Conference will be held Nov. 1-3, 2017 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. This three-day conference offers programs and workshops designed specifically for financial professionals in the construction industry. The 34 interactive sessions will cover the latest industry issues and their financial implications. Participants may earn up to 20.5 continuing professional education (CPE) credits. 
For more information, contact Matthew Turkstra at [email protected] or (202) 547-4733.

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Registration Open for November Highway, Transportation & Utility Infrastructure Conference

The 2017 Highway, Transportation and Utility Infrastructure Conference will take place Nov. 1-3, 2017 at the Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix, Arizona. Registration is now open. The conference features excellent speakers and group interaction on a number of topics impacting the transportation and utility infrastructure construction market.
This year’s meeting runs from Wednesday to Friday and will again feature a preliminary golf tournament to prepare you for two days of intense learning. Join your industry colleagues in Phoenix. Register today.
 For more information, contact Brian Deery at [email protected] or (703) 837-5319.

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Support Grows for ELD Mandate Extension

Urge Your Representative to Co-Sponsor Bill 
Forty-two House members have signed on to co-sponsor H.R. 3282, legislation introduced by Rep. Brian Babin (R-TX) to extend for two years the deadline for installing Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) on trucks to monitor drivers’ hours of service. Included as co-sponsors are Reps. Kevin Brady (R-TX), Mac Thornberry (R-TX), Pete Sessions (R-TX) and Michael Conaway (R-TX) chairmen of the Ways and Means, Armed Services, Rules and Agriculture committees, respectively.
Currently, the Federal Motor Carrier Administration (FMCSA) mandates that all motor carriers required to maintain Records of Duty Status (RODS) for Hours of Service (HOS) compliance for their drivers to install ELDs by December 17, 2017. AGC has sought an exemption from this requirement for construction industry truck drivers but that request has not been accepted. Babin’s bill would delay the mandate for two years allowing time for AGC to continue to make the case that this requirement is unnecessary for construction. Contact your representatives and ask them to cosponsor H.R. 3282 and delay this mandate.
 For more information, contact Brian Deery at [email protected] or (703) 837-5319.

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Tell Congress to Fund Infrastructure in Tax Reform

Contact your Representatives and Senators
As the Congressional August recess continues, the AGC-co-chaired Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) is asking you to reach out to your representative and senators and tell them to fix the Highway Trust Fund as part of tax reform and invest in transportation infrastructure. Congress does not return to Washington until Sept. 5 and we encourage all our members to use this time to meet with and email your members of Congress and tell them to include a permanent Highway Trust Fund fix as part of any tax reform or new infrastructure initiative.
The Hardhats for Highways site has additional information including a TCC background document and talking points for your visits.
For more information, contact Sean O’Neill at [email protected] or (202) 547-8892.

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AGC-Supported Candidate in Alabama Special Election Goes to Run-Off

Tuesday’s special Alabama Senate Republican primary sent former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore and appointed Sen. Luther Strange (received AGC PAC support) to the September 26 run-off election. Judge Moore placed first, capturing 39 percent of the Republican primary vote and Sen. Strange garnered 33 percent and showed strength in the Birmingham area, though he lost substantially in Alabama’s southern region including the metropolitan areas of Montgomery, Mobile, and Dothan.
Judge Moore was twice elected chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, but removed in 2003 for disregarding a federal court order over the Ten Commandments and then suspended in 2016 for telling probate judges to continue enforcing the state's ban on same-sex marriage despite it being overturned in federal-level court rulings. He resigned from the court in April to run for the Senate.
Sen. Strange came to the Senate by way of appointment by then-Gov. Robert Bentley who later resigned following a criminal indictment. The newly appointed senator filled the vacant seat made available when then-Sen. Jeff Sessions was confirmed as U.S. attorney general. Prior to the appointment, Sen. Strange was twice elected as Alabama’s attorney general.
Looking ahead, the run-off wild card may well be Rep. Mo Brooks’ (R-Huntsville) voters, where the primary’s third place finisher tallied 20 percent of the vote. Despite losing the Senate primary, the congressman announced that he would seek re-election to his House seat.
For more information, contact David Ashinoff at [email protected] or (202) 547-5013.

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Executive Order Seeks to Expedite Infrastructure Projects

Rescinds Obama Order Opposed by AGC
This week President Trump issued an Executive Order entitled, “Establishing Discipline and Accountability in the Environmental Review and Permitting Process for Infrastructure Projects.” The Order includes several reforms such as establishing a “One Federal Decision” policy under which the lead federal agency works with other agencies to complete environmental reviews and permitting decisions needed for major infrastructure projects, requiring all decisions on Federal Permits be made within 90 days after an agency signs a Record of Decision (ROD), establishing a two-year goal for agencies to process environmental documents for major projects, and holding agencies accountable for failure to make timely environmental reviews and permitting decisions. These reforms are consistent with recommendations AGC provided the administration for improving the federal environmental review and permitting process.
Additionally, the order rescinds an Obama Executive Order, the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard, which expanded the definition of “floodplain” that all federal agencies must use – and all builders must follow – for all federally approved or funded projects.  AGC previously asked the Obama administration to repeal this Order when we presented them with our regulatory recommendations, “Making Federal Agencies Responsible Again”.
For more information, contact Sean O’Neill at [email protected] or (202) 547-8892.

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TCC August Grassroots Push to fix HTF and Fund Transportation Infrastructure

As Congress begins their annual August recess, the AGC-co-chaired Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) is asking you to reach out to your representative and senators and tell them to fix the Highway Trust Fund as part of tax reform and invest in transportation infrastructure. Congress does not return to Washington until Sept. 5 and we encourage all our members to use this time to meet with and email your members of Congress and tell them to include a permanent Highway Trust Fund fix as part of any tax reform or new infrastructure initiative.
Additionally, it is important that your elected officials hear from you that you want them to support the Senate’s transportation funding bill for fiscal year 2018, which continues funding critical transportation programs that the Trump Administration is seeking to eliminate (TIGER and Transit New Starts) as well as providing an increase of the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) from $4.50 to $8.50. The PFC increase will allow local airports to better address their airport infrastructure needs.
The Hardhats for Highways site has additional information including a TCC background document and talking points for your visits.
For more information, contact Sean O’Neill at [email protected] or (202) 547-8892.

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EPA Back Tracks on Previous Delay of 2015 Ozone Standard

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reversed its June 2017 decision to delay by one year the final designation of counties that are not attaining the 2015 ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). EPA will now make those determinations by the October 1, 2017, deadline. The reversal came after news that 15 states and the District of Columbia were filing suit against EPA to enforce the original deadline. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has been critical of lawsuits (and settlement agreements) resulting from missed statutory deadlines.
Extending the deadline by a year would have given states more time to develop emission inventories, air quality clean-up plans, and additional mandatory control measures. However, EPA now says that information from the states is more complete than initially thought.
States and counties that are not attaining the new standard will look for strategies to reduce emissions. States could consider restrictions and/or controls on industrial facilities (such as requirements for new construction) and equipment emissions, or additional hurdles and planning requirements for transportation related sources.  Notably, nonattainment counties that are out of compliance with 2015 ozone standards could have federal highway funds withheld.
For more background, click here and here to see related AGC articles or contact AGC’s Leah Pilconis at [email protected].

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