AGC Update July 2011
Dec 15, 2015
Review of Election Results
• $3.5 billion spent est.• New Senate numbers 53 to 47 (59 to 41)• New House numbers 187 to 239 (255 to
178)• Big Issues Included:
• Stimulus: 38% helped economy• Health Care: 58% favored repeal• Climate Change: 56% unwilling to pay more
for energy
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Preview of Election 2012• Senate Vulnerables 12 (10D/2R) • House Vulnerables 48 (21D/27R)• Presidential • Redistricting• Issues on the voters minds today
• Economy, Budget Deficit (inefficiency of government), Wars/geopolitical concerns, Ethical Integrity, Bipartisanship
General Election: Independents Hold Keys
• 2006: 57% DEM39% GOP
• 2008: 52% DEM44% GOP
• 2010: 38% DEM56% GOP
• No permanent majorities and at this point little focus on the middle
Primaries: TEA party and Progressives
• Tea Party: No formal platform or leadership• Balance the budget/cut taxes/reduce debt• Repeal and replace health care
• Progressive priorities• Budget cuts = attacks on women, minorities,
poor, environment and elderly• Big oil companies, big banks and wealthy
Americans need to be punished or taxed more• Medicare/social security
• Will new members get enough OJT
Major Decision Points• 2011 Spending bill HR 1• 2012 Federal Budget passed the House• Debt limit needs to be raised (Aug. 2)• GOP want cuts to = debt limit increase• Historically majority party passes debt
limit• Global deal may be best opportunity for
new infrastructure investment and tax policy
Comparing the Budgets
Cumulative Deficits
(in Billions)
FY 2012-2016 FY 2012-2021
Obama Budget -$4,190 -$9,500
Ryan Budget -$3,101 -$5,450
Fiscal Commission -$2,903 -$5,320
Ryan v. Obama -$1,089 -$4,050
Ryan v. Commission
$198 $130
FY 2012-2020 Totals
Budgets Overall Totals In billionsReceipts Spending
Obama $32,392 $40,109Ryan $30,516 $35,219Commission $34,295 $38,441
Construction Matters to the Economy
• Economic prosperity and quality of life are driven by the construction industry • Hospitals, Universities, Manufacturing Housing,
Data Centers, Schools, Public Buildings, Roads, Sewers, etc.
• Construction improves international competitiveness
• Construction creates jobs
Cost of Inaction/Benefits of Action
• Impact on labor market• 20% of jobless, 5% of total employment
• Public and private sector will delay needed improvements
• Strong belief that benefits far out weigh costs
• Both parties should have legitimate reasons to help construction
FY 2011 Spending Bill
• FY 2011 Spending Deal• $40 B in total cuts for remainder of FY 2011
• Compared to 2010 Enacted• Federal Construction Accounts Slashed by
$22B• GSA – FY 11 program wiped out (-91%)• Corps of Engineers – FY 11 Cut by $600M (-
11%)• Military Construction – FY 11 Cut by $6.2B over
FY10• Cut is $1.3B under President’s FY11 Request (-
21%)• VA – FY 11 Cut additional $250M (-13%)
Water Infrastructure
• Goal: Support reauthorization and increase investment in water resources development and clean water infrastructure• SRF reauthorization• Water trust fund• Private Activity Bonds• Appropriations
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Building Construction
• GSA funding slashed • Operations & Maintenance down $271m
despite fed avg spending $6.91 per sq ft compared to industry avg of $7.60.
• Repairs and alterations cut from $466m to $35m
• Rents cut from $5.2b to $4.7 despite contracts for $5.2
3% WITHHOLDING
• Effective date 1/1/2012• IRS enforcement date 1/1/2013• AGC survey to lead to press
announcement• AGC Tax & Fiscal Affairs Ctte: no
compromise• AGC grass roots push• Only tax vehicle likely to be budget deal
as part of debt limit vote
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Regulatory Concerns
• Estimated annual cost of regulatory compliance is $1.187 trillion
• Agencies spend $54.3 billion annually to administer and police regulations
• 68,598 pages printed in the fed register in 2009
• 4,043 regulations now in the pipeline, 180 are “economically significant” rules
• In 2009 agencies issued 3,503 final rules. The President signed only 125 bills into law in 2009.
Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review
• In January… EO 13563 “how best to promote retrospective analysis of rules that may be outmoded, ineffective, insufficient, or excessively burdensome.”
• Stormwater/ELG, 404 Permits, Lead Paint, Fly Ash, Hearing Conservation, MSDs
• Election 2012
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EPA Stormwater Permit
• Stormwater runoff from construction sites major EPA enforcement priority
• EPA revising Gen’l Construction Permit (GCP)
• AGC had convinced EPA not to impose numeric limits on runoff
• Defended EPA in suit vs. greens; lost on appeal
• EPA CGP covers 4 states, DC and PR but serves as template
EPA Stormwater Permit
• Under current permit, operator chooses BMP’s
• Proposed permit prescribes BMP’s and sets numeric limits (NTU)
• --30 day delay before working• --file permit electronically• --must record discharges in logbook and
report violations• --$37,500 per day fine
EPA Stormwater Permit
• At AGC’s request, EPA extended comment period to 7/12
• AGC held webinar on 6/1• Developing template comment letter for
chapters• Citizen suits could imperil construction
projects• AGC considering legal/legislative
remedies
NLRB/DOL
• Boeing case• “Micro” unions• “quickie” elections• “persuader” disclosure• --file with DOL • --all activities related to influencing
elections
GOVERNMENT PLA’S
• Continuing successful FOIA strategy• House has had 2 votes on issue—lost
both• Attacking GSA 10% tech factors bonus• --legal memo• --awaiting GSA response
FEDERAL CONTRACTORS DISCLOSURE
• Draft Administration memo would require disclosure of political contributions• Includes “independent expenditures”
• Covers “officers and directors” and includes “affiliates and subsidiaries.”
• Democratic blowback (Hoyer, Black Caucus)
• Appropriations rider
Grassroots Activities
• Communicate, educate, counter incorrect information
• Contact elected officials (www.agc.org/lac)
• Contact local media• Invite to speak at chapter meetings &
invite to project sites
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