Photo courtesy ABC Romney won the endorsement of the Associated Builders and Contractors following his address to the group's board of directors last week in Phoenix. Photo courtesy ABC Anirban Basu, ABC's chief economist, gave an upbeat view of the improving economy during a presentation at BizCon in Phoenix. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney promised to undo much of the regulatory and labor initiatives of the Obama administration, he said during a speech Thursday to the Associated Builders and Contractors' board of directors in Phoenix. Later that day, the association of construction industry executives threw its hat behind Romney's candidacy
Construction industry officials were encouraged to see long-delayed highway-transit bills move to the House and Senate floors in early February, but their mood shifted when both measures stalled just before the Presidents Day break. Although votes on difficult amendments lie ahead, congressional leaders still view the bills as priorities and are seeking to regain the momentum.In the House, Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) decided to split up into separate parts the transportation-energy package he had constructed, apparently because there were not enough votes to approve the combined bill. On Feb. 16, the House did pass the energy portion on a vote
In a victory for architectural firms, the Small Business Administration has backed away from a proposed major boost in the revenue a firm can have and still be rated "small." That ceiling governs eligibility for small-business programs, such as contracts set aside for such firms.Last year SBA proposed hiking the "size standard" for both architectural and landscape architectural firms to $19 million in average annual receipts, from $4.5 million for architects and $7 million for landscape architects. Under the higher caps, small firms would compete against much bigger ones for small-business set-asides. After architects flooded SBA with criticisms about the
The Environmental Protection Agency's new general permit for construction-site stormwater runoff does not include a numeric limit for turbidity, a major victory for the construction industry. Still, the new permit will require substantially more cost and effort to comply with than the previous permit, industry sources say.At more than 100 pages, "it's twice as long, and there's a lot of new stuff in here," says Leah Pilconis, senior environmental advisor to the Associated General Contractors of America.The permit, issued on Feb. 16, replaces the EPA permit issued in 2008. It applies to states in which EPA has permitting jurisdiction under
Related Links: Summary of administration's tax proposal The Obama administration has proposed overhauling the corporate tax system, including a cut in the top rate and eliminating many subsidies and other breaks. But the framework, which the Treasury Dept. released on Feb. 22, does not affect many small businesses, which are prevalent in the design and construction industry.The proposal calls for trimming the top corporate tax rate to 28% from 35%, and making permanent tax credits for renewable energy and research.In a call with reporters, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said that President Obama's plan would simplify the tax code and end
Related Links: OMB Proposes BRAC-like Board for Buildings BRAC: Total Cost 48% Higher Than Initial Estimate Plans to trim the federal real estate inventory have advanced, with House passage of a bill to set up a panel to recommend properties to be designated as surplus. Construction industry officials say such a plan would provide opportunities to upgrade federal buildings or spark private developments on former federal sites. But the House measure faces an uncertain future in the Senate, where a similar bill has been introduced but has yet to move.The House bill, which the chamber approved Feb. 7 by a
A group of 45 Senate lawmakers —all but one of whom are Republicans—is attempting to revive the Keystone XL crude-oil pipeline project, which President Obama nixed last month.
President Barack Obama's proposed $3.8-trillion budget for fiscal year 2013 would continue to squeeze discretionary spending and make further cuts in many construction programs that were trimmed this year. The proposal includes some construction hikes and repeats Obama's 2011 call for a sharp, immediate boost for highways and transit. But the transportation proposal's outlook is dim, because Congress turned it down twice before.Obama's budget request, sent to Congress on Feb. 13, is just the beginning of a long, tough partisan fight over 2013 spending. The outcome will have a direct impact on design and construction firms that focus on government
Courtesy Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority The multi-year authorization bill provides $13.4 billion over four years for airport grants. Its expected to prompt airports to move on delayed projects. After being stuck on Capitol Hill for more than four years, a long-term aviation bill at last has been cleared for takeoff. The measure authorizes a total of $63.6 billion over four years for Federal Aviation Administration programs. That figure includes $13.4 billion for the agency's Airport Improvement Program. AIP helps to finance runway, taxiway, apron and other infrastructure projects.Final congressional approval came on Feb. 6, when the Senate passed the bill
Photo Courtesy of Utah Transit Authority House Ways and Means approves severing mass transit from the Highway Trust Fund, which has financed rail and bus projects for 30 years. As action picks up in the House and Senate on differing versions of a multiyear surface transportation bill, House Republicans have sparked a major fight by proposing to cut mass transit's 30-year-long link to Highway Trust Fund financing.After months of false starts, delays and small advances, congressional committees have stepped up the pace on the highway-transit bill. With more than $50 billion a year in construction aid at stake, the bill
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