Washington, March 7—Associated Builders and Contractors President and CEO Michael Bellaman tonight responded to President Joe Biden’s 2024 State of the Union address with the following statement:
“President Biden continues to push exclusionary and inflationary agendas and actions that discourage the overwhelming majority of construction workers who do not belong to a union—nearly 90%—from building and rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure. Anti-competitive regulations and bills like the final rule mandating discriminatory project labor agreements on federal construction contracts, the burdensome Davis-Bacon final rule, the controversial government-registered apprenticeship system overhaul proposal and executive order, the confusing independent contractor final rule and the freedom-violating Protecting the Right to Organize Act are only undermining taxpayer investments in infrastructure and further exacerbating the industry’s labor shortage.
“Instead of requiring costly policies to promote union membership, rewarding special interest groups and placating political donors, the president should prioritize inclusive, win-win policies that bring value to all of the construction industry and a better return on investment to taxpayers. Tonight, the president stated his agenda leaves no American behind and gives everyone a fair shot. One solution to achieve that is the Fair and Open Competition Act, which would allow all contractors to compete fairly based on merit and to utilize the talented construction professionals they have invested in and who are achieving their career dreams with their employer of choice. Another legislative solution is the Employee Rights Act, which preserves worker choice in contrast to the PRO Act, which forces workers to join a union. The administration should also work with Congress to develop a new market-driven visa program that addresses our legal immigration workforce needs and disincentivizes the drivers of illegal immigration into the United States to prioritize the critical workforce shortage in construction.
“ABC and its members know that much must be done to address the infrastructure needs of our nation, curb excessive government spending, enact policies that support economic growth and create jobs for all of America’s workers. The president and Congress must work together on bipartisan solutions to produce value for the taxpayer and create the conditions for everyone to pursue their career dreams in their unique way.”
About ABC
Associated Builders and Contractors is a national construction industry trade association established in 1950 that represents more than 23,000 members. Founded on the merit shop philosophy, ABC and its 68 chapters help members develop people, win work and deliver that work safely, ethically and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which ABC and its members work. Visit us at abc.org.
