The AEM recently released a statement welcoming the U.S. Department of Commerce's new recommendations to foster U.S. competitiveness in manufacturing.
The recommendations were made in a report that was issued in January titled, Manufacturing in America: A Comprehensive Strategy to Address the Success of U.S. Manufacturers. Prior to the report's publication, AEM had relayed several concerns to the Department of Commerce, which were included in the report. Among those was enhancing transportation infrastructure.

"Passing a well-funded, six-year transportation bill would stimulate the equipment manufacturing sector and overall economy," said AEM Chair Ronald M. DeFeo.

AGC's CEO Stephen E. Sandherr recently gave the keynote address to the Road Gang in conjunction with the Transportation Research Board's annual meeting and called on Congress to pass a six-year highway reauthorization bill that "will create jobs, stimulate the economy and fix the nation's interstate highway system," Sandherr said in his speech. "While the economy continues to show signs of improvement, many economists refer to it as a jobless recovery," said Sandherr. "We have the solution to this predicament. There is no legislative initiative currently before Congress that would have a more immediate and sustaining impact on creating jobs than a multi-year reauthorization of the transportation bill."

ABC Appoints Region Three Vice Chairman

The Associated Builders and Contractors recently appointed Larry R. Willis, CEO and chairman of WW Enterprises Inc., Muskogee, Okla, as its 2004 region three vice chairman representing Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. Willis began his term on January 1.

ABC of Greater Houston Names New Chairman

The Associated Builders and Contractors of Greater Houston recently announced that Joe McKee has been named the 2004 chapter chairman. McKee, vice president of operations at Austin Industrial, has been an active member of ABC, having served on the ABC Board of Directors and four years on the Executive Committee. "Joe McKee has been a staunch supporter of ABC and an active participant in the ABC Political Action Committee," said Russell Hamley, ABC Greater Houston president. "He has many visions for the association this year including increasing membership and increasing our PAC fundraising to support pro-business and merit shop legislation and candidates."

Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute Awards Walter P. Moore

Houston-based Walter P. Moore has earned a Merit Award in the 2004 Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute Design Awards Competition for the Richard Bolling Federal Building-North Entrance. Cited for "the exemplary use of cast-in-place concrete," the project will be featured in CRSI's 2004 Design Awards publication. Established in 1924, CRSI is one of America's oldest trade associations. Its main objective is to increase the use of reinforced concrete in the construction industry.

The Kansas City office of Walter P. Moore provided structural engineering services for the $2.2 million north entrance addition and corridor renovation as part of a four-phase, "First Impressions Project" at the building.

AGC Supports Bush's Immigration Proposal

The Associated General Contractors of America has released a statement supporting President Bush's immigration proposal to allow undocumented workers to keep their jobs and attain legal status. According to the AGC, the proposal would help alleviate the construction industry's long-term workforce shortage. The AGC also supports allowing additional workers to immigrate to the nation when there are jobs immediately available to them in the U.S.

"The proposal to be released by the White House is a positive step towards immigration reform," said Stephen E. Sandherr, AGC CEO. "The construction industry, which set another record for value of construction put in place, is creating jobs, but in many cases, no one is there to fill this need. This proposal is an opportunity to help contractors expand their workforce and create jobs and taxpayers."

"Immigrants have always been an important part of the construction workforce," Sandherr added. "By creating an immigration policy that rewards workers who are working, the construction industry and the nation will benefit economically. The policy may even help to harness illegal immigration. The AGC is open to supporting this proposal and similar guest worker legislation in Congress."

ASC Endorses AGC Statement on Reverse Auction Bids

The Association of Specialty Contractors released a statement recently in support of the AGC's white paper on reverse auctions. In an effort to improve and encourage the discussion of issues raised by reverse auctions, the AGC developed a white paper on the issue. In its conclusion, the AGC states that "…reverse auctions are an unproven method for selection of construction contractors, specialty contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers."