Blog
2024 Summer Recap
The summer of 2024 has been busy and filled with a variety of fun events that brought our ABC community members together, from our exciting golf tournaments to our annual Yankee game. We also held engaging political events and lively happy hour networking gatherings. Our summer events are designed to strengthen relationships and foster connections…
Erie County’s Financial Fumble: The Buffalo Bills Stadium Bonds
Exciting news for Erie County: the circus is in town! The less exciting news is they’ve taken over the County government and are asking taxpayers to give them another $125 million for the Buffalo Bills’ new stadium. The county has already paid $125 million in taxpayer dollars, but they need more and plan to get…
Construction Materials Prices Increase in July for First Time Since April
Construction input prices increased 0.4% in July compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data released today. Nonresidential construction input prices also increased 0.4% for the month. Overall construction input prices are 1.1% higher than a year ago, while nonresidential…
Embracing Workplace Safety: The Importance of OSHA’s Safe + Sound Week
Every August, organizations across the United States come together to celebrate OSHA’s Safe + Sound Week, a nationwide event dedicated to recognizing the successes of workplace health and safety programs. This initiative not only highlights the importance of keeping America’s workers safe but also provides valuable information and innovative ideas to further enhance workplace safety.…
New York’s Renewable Energy Goals: A Challenge of Cost & Policy
New York State has been at the forefront of renewable energy initiatives, setting ambitious goals to transition to cleaner energy sources by 2030. However, a recent audit from the New York State Comptroller’s office has delivered a sobering assessment: the state is not on track to meet these goals. While various factors contribute to this…
USDA Abandoning Illegal Blacklisting Provisions
WASHINGTON, July 26-In response to Associated Builders and Contractors’ and federal contractor opposition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture scrapped controversial blacklisting provisions targeting federal contractors in a proposed rule published in the Federal Register today specific to the USDA’s procurement policies. “The USDA’s decision to drop unnecessary and duplicative blacklisting provisions harming federal contractors is a victory for…
ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator Inched Higher in June, Contractors Remain Confident
WASHINGTON, July 9-Associated Builders and Contractors reported today that its Construction Backlog Indicator increased to 8.4 months in June, according to an ABC member survey conducted June 20 to July 3. The reading is down 0.5 months from June 2023. View ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator and Construction Confidence Index tables for June. View the full Construction Backlog Indicator and…
ABC Shares the Truth About President Biden’s Harmful Project Labor Agreement Policies at U.S. House Oversight Hearing
ABC National staff and an ABC member testified at the June 27, 2024, U.S. House Oversight Committee’s subcommittee hearing on President Biden’s controversial policies promoting and mandating anti-competitive and inflationary project labor agreements on federal and federally assisted projects. The hearing–Cutting Competition in Contracting: The Administration’s Pricey Project Labor Agreement Mandate–held by the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and…
OSHA Issues Heat Injury and Prevention Proposed Rule
Today, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued its Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings proposed rule. OSHA’s proposed rule would apply to all employers conducting outdoor and indoor work in all general industry, construction, maritime and agriculture sectors where OSHA has jurisdiction and require employers to…
2024 ABC National Legislative Conference
This week, your Chapter Government Affairs team and the Board of Directors traveled to Washington, D.C., for our annual Legislative Conference. The two-day intensive conference dives into the numerous policy and regulatory changes that impact our industry. We heard from industry leaders across the country, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, about recent changes and how…