AGC Scores Major PPP Victories in Year-End Legislation
AGC blocked a surprise federal tax increase of up to 37 percent on Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness, benefiting tens of thousands of construction firms. The association was able to secure a provision in the year-end COVID-relief and government funding bill enacted Dec. 27, 2020 that overturned the IRS position barring deductions for PPP loan-forgiven business expenses. In addition, the association secured provisions providing for expedited loan forgiveness for
AGC Supports Endangered Species Act Reform in the U.S. Senate
On September 22, AGC sent a letter of support for the Endangered Species Act (ESA) Amendments of 2020(link is external) introduced by Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman John Barrasso (R-WY) ahead of a September 23 hearing on the bill. The bill complements and builds on changes the Trump Administration made last year by further empowering States and Tribes in the recovery of species, permitting the prioritization of resources, promoting recovery and delisting, and
AGC Leads Sponsorship of Construction Safety Week: Sept. 14 – 18
Every year during Construction Safety Week, construction companies reinforce and celebrate our shared commitment to safety with mass safety meetings, equipment demonstrations, job tours, appreciation barbecues, and more. Join us and bring Safety Week to life at your company by planning events on your projects and in your offices. Click HERE to access and download all of the tools and resources you’ll need to get started on planning your activities,
AGC Works to Unite Transportation Stakeholder Community
With COVID relief legislation talks stalled, only 13 legislative days remaining before the election, and the current federal surface transportation authorization law—the FAST Act—expiring on September 30, AGC is working to unite the transportation stakeholder community around a common message going into next month. With that in mind, the 32 national trade association and construction labor unions on the AGC co-chaired Transportation Construction Coalition(link is external) (TCC) on August 17 agreed to
AGC Helps Lead Coalition on “Second Draw” PPP Loans
This week, AGC helped lead a coalition effort with the International Franchise Association (IFA) calling on Congress to expand the availability of “second draw” Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for small businesses. A provision in the Senate GOP COVID relief proposal would allow small businesses to apply for a second PPP loan, but with stricter criteria than for the original PPP loans. One of the new requirements for second draw
AGC Joins Calls for COBRA Funding Relief
Earlier this week AGC joined nearly 200 companies, unions, and organizations in a letter urging Congress to include COBRA funding in the next COVID relief package. COBRA is important for the continuation of job-based health insurance for the Americans that have recently lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic. AGC recognizes the importance of keeping the employer-provided health care system operating and federal subsidies will provide certainty for plans
AGC Releases Full Analysis of House Democrats Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill
On June 15, ahead of the markup of the legislation in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, AGC released a full analysis of the INVEST Act, the House Democrats’ recently introduced surface transportation reauthorization bill. This seven-page document provides a deep dive into the provisions of the bill, including analysis on investment and funding levels, workforce related policies, environmental initiatives and regulations, project delivery and safety, technology, research, and development. A one-page
AGC Victorious in Leading Congressional Passage of PPP Loan Improvements
On June 3, the Senate passed the AGC-backed Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Flexibility Act of 2020 (H.R. 7010) after AGC members sent tens of thousands of messages seeking improvements to the PPP. The measure makes significant improvements to the Paycheck Protection Program that AGC has been pushing for and its passage marks another legislative victory for the association. Among these improvements are: (1) Extending the amount of time that loan
OSHA Issues Guidance to Help Construction Workers During the Pandemic
On May 26, OSHA launched a webpage with coronavirus-related guidance for construction employers and workers. The guidance includes recommended actions—many of which AGC members have likely already incorporated in their safety plans—to reduce the risk of exposure to the coronavirus. One item AGC members should take note of is how the guidance details specific construction tasks with exposure risk levels (from low to very high). AGC will continue to monitor how the current pandemic
Congress & SBA Work on AGC-Backed PPP Loan Fixes
AGC continues to lead efforts—both legislative and regulatory—to bring needed flexibilities to the terms of the Paycheck Protection Program for the construction industry. In the House of Representatives, AGC is working with Reps. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) and Chip Roy (R-Tex.) to advance their bipartisan legislation that would: (1) allow loan forgiveness for expenses from 8 to 24 weeks; (2) strike the restrictive 75%/25% rule on loan proceed use; (3) expand loan terms