Bethesda-based Clark Construction Group was honored today for performing some of the construction industry鈥檚 best charitable work in 2011 for its efforts in helping communities impacted by the extensive construction work required through the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process.聽 As a result, the construction firm was one of 13 organizations nationwide to win the 澳门六合彩开奖预测 in the Community Award from the charitable arm of the Associated General Contractors of America, 澳门六合彩开奖预测 Charities, Inc.
This afternoon, the Senate passed their 澳门六合彩开奖预测 supported, 2- year, $109 billion surface transportation reauthorization bill, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) by a strong bipartisan vote of 74-22.
Attention now is focused on the House of Representatives where Republican leaders have several options as to how they wish to proceed. The House has indicated if they do not have the votes to pass a reworked five-year bill that taking the Senate bill is an option. The House may also choose to pass a short term extension before the March 31st expiration of the current extension. 聽Please visit 澳门六合彩开奖预测's Legislative Action Center to send a letter to your Representative.
Vicksburg鈥檚 U.S. Route 60 at Vicksburg Road Roundabout was one of the most successful construction partnerships of 2011, 澳门六合彩开奖预测 announced today.聽 As a result, the project鈥檚 contractor, Glendale-based Combs Construction Company, Inc., was one of only three projects to receive 澳门六合彩开奖预测鈥檚 Marvin M. Black Excellence in Partnering Award.
Construction employment rose in 28 states and the District of Columbia between January 2011 and January 2012, while 20 states lost construction jobs and two held steady鈥攖he best net positive showing for state construction employment since 2007, according to an analysis by 澳门六合彩开奖预测 of Labor Department data. Thirty-five states and D.C. added construction jobs between December 2011 and January, while 13 states had decreases for the month and two states had no change.
Construction spending inched down less than 0.1 percent in January, following a large upward revision in December and November, according to a new analysis of federal data released today by 澳门六合彩开奖预测. All forms of residential construction did well for the month and year-over-year, while private nonresidential spending was mixed and public construction declined amid continued congressional delays in passing a host of long-term infrastructure and tax measures.
Construction employment remains below peak levels in 329 out of 337 metro areas, according to a new analysis released today by 澳门六合彩开奖预测. Given the continued weakness in construction employment, 澳门六合彩开奖预测 urged Congress to pass years-late infrastructure measures, including legislation to fund highway, transit and aviation construction work.鈥淲hat makes these job losses even more frustrating is the fact that many of them could have been avoided,鈥 said 澳门六合彩开奖预测鈥檚 chief executive officer, Stephen E. Sandherr. 鈥淭housands more construction workers would be employed today if Congress wasn鈥檛 years late in passing measures like the highway and transit bill.鈥漇andherr said that 澳门六合彩开奖预测 is working with groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to push for passage of a new, fully-funded surface transportation bill as part of an effort called Make Transportation Job #1.To read the full press release, click here.View the new construction employment figures by state or by rank.聽聽聽聽聽聽
The cost of construction materials is showing signs of accelerating after moderating in January, according to an analysis of producer price index figures and recent market information released today by 澳门六合彩开奖预测. Ongoing price increases underscore the urgency of funding public construction projects promptly, 澳门六合彩开奖预测 officials said.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee began consideration of H.R. 7, the American Infrastructure and Infrastructure Act of 2012. Over 100 amendments will be considered. The committee began action at 9:00 a.m. and is still meeting on the legislation.聽 The committee markup was notable for the partisan bickering between the majority and minority over the drafting of the bill. No Democrats have cosponsored the bill.The bill authorizes approximately $260 billion over five years to fund federal highway, transit and safety programs, maintaining current funding levels. The bill, which can be read here, would make significant reforms in the environmental review and approval process and give states more flexibility in the use of the funds. Some of the bill highlights include:聽Consolidates or eliminates nearly 70 federal programsEliminates mandates that states spend highway funding on non-highway activitiesAllows states to set their own transportation prioritiesDelegates more project approval authority to statesCondenses deadlines for federal agency project approvalsAccelerates the approval process for projects in an existing right-of-wayEncourages states to partner with the private sector to finance and build projectsStreamlines the project delivery process and reduces regulatory burdens for rail projectsContains no earmarksExpands the Transportation Innovative Financing and Investment Act (TIFIA) program to $1 billion per year from its current $122 million annual levelProvides $2 billion in funding for states to capitalize State Infrastructure BanksAllows states to toll new capacity on existing interstates聽The bill makes a significant change in the Highway Trust Fund by eliminating the Mass Transit Account and replacing it with a new 鈥淎lternative Transportation Account鈥 that would fund the transit program, Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) program, research programs and Appalachian and Puerto Rican highway programs. While the T&I Committee bill does not spell out how this is to be funded, the Ways and Means Committee today revealed its portion of the legislation that is necessary to fund the entire bill. The Ways and Means bill redirects the 2.86 cents per gallon of the federal gasoline and diesel fuel taxes, currently going to the Mass Transit Account, to the Highway Account of the Highway Trust Fund, including any FY 2012 taxes that have already been collected and credited to the Mass Transit Account. The new 鈥淎lternative Transportation Account鈥 would be supported by a transfer of $40 billion from the general fund.聽 There is no indication yet how the $40 billion transfer will be offset.The House Natural Resources Committee met yesterday and passed three energy bills to be incorporated into the transportation bill. Two of the bills would require the Interior Department to expand leasing opportunities in parts of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and in the Gulf of Mexico; a third calls for promotion of shale oil production on public lands. The Ways and Means Committee bill calls for the revenue from this expanded leasing to be directed to the Highway Trust Fund.聽 These bills provide less than $10 billion in new trust fund revenue, far short of the $60 billion needed to fund a 5 year bill.Also today, the Senate Banking Committee which has jurisdiction in the Senate for federal transit programs, approved its portion of the Senate legislation authorizing $8.36 billion for fiscal 2012 and 2013. The only committee remaining to take action in the Senate is the Finance Committee which must provide the revenue to support MAP-21. It is expected to take up the bill next week.While both the House and Senate Committees are currently working to get the transportation reauthorization bills to their respective floors, the work to pass a bill into law is far from over.聽聽 Getting a highway and transit authorization bill passed in Congress and signed into law prior to March 31, 2012, will not be easy.聽聽 It is vital that 澳门六合彩开奖预测 members engage business associates (suppliers, subcontractors, insurance, bonding, financial services, etc.), labor organizations and other non-construction businesses in this effort.聽Please join 澳门六合彩开奖预测鈥檚 campaign to Make Transportation JOB #1, and help continue to build momentum for passage of a reauthorization bill.For more information, please contact Brian Deery at (703) 837-5319 ordeeryb@agc.org, or Sean O鈥橬eill at (202) 547-8892 or oneills@agc.org.
The construction industry added 21,000 jobs in January, as a second consecutive month of unseasonably mild winter weather helped the industry raise employment to a two-year high, according to an analysis of new federal employment data released today by 澳门六合彩开奖预测. 聽Association officials cautioned that the gains remain fragile amid declining public sector investments in construction and infrastructure.
Construction employment increased in 148 out of 337 metropolitan areas between December 2010 and December 2011, decreased in 128 and stayed level in 61, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by 澳门六合彩开奖预测.聽 The construction employment increases were likely fueled by a 4.3 percent increase in total construction spending between December 2010 and December 2011, driven largely by growing private sector demand, 澳门六合彩开奖预测 officials noted.