Federal Construction | The Truth About PLAs - Part 2

USACE Evaluates Project Labor Agreements on Four Federal Projects in Kentucky

October 26, 2011 – 6:08 am

The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) recently issued surveys requesting feedback from the construction industry about the potential use of project labor agreements (PLAs) for four federal construction projects exceeding $25 million in total costs at Ft Campbell, Ky. ABC members and construction professionals are encouraged to respond to the PLA surveys. Tell [...]

By Ben Brubeck | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Executive Order 13502, Federal Construction, Federal Contracting, Fort Benjamin Harrison, Fort Campbell, Indiana, Indianapolis, Kentucky, PLA survey, PLAs, President Obama, Project Labor Agreements, Take Action, US Army Corps of Engineers | Comments (0)

Beacon Hill Institute Responds to Attacks on Project Labor Agreement Research

July 22, 2011 – 12:01 pm

Dr. David Tuerck, Executive Director of The Beacon Hill Institute (BHI) and Professor and Chairman of the Department of Economics at Suffolk University, asked TheTruthAboutPLAs.com to post the following note and related correspondence to U.S. Congress in response to attacks by Dr. Peter Phillips, economics professor at the University of Utah, on BHI’s research on the impact of government-mandated [...]

By Ben Brubeck | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Beacon Hill Institute, Dr. Peter Phillips, Executive Order 13502, Federal Construction, Federal Contracting, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, PLA Study, PLAs, PLAs Increase Costs, President Obama, Project Labor Agreements, Rep. Cummings, Rep. James Lankford, Utah | Comments (0)

WSJ Editorial: Government-mandated PLAs “Deserve to be Outlawed”

July 19, 2011 – 2:27 pm

The title says it all and we completely agree! The editorial board at The Wall Street Journal has again come out against wasteful and discriminatory government-mandated PLAs. Here are the highlights from the editorial (“Project Labor Revolt: The states ban union political bid-rigging. Obama demurs,” 7/19/11): One benefit of the squeeze on state and local [...]

By Andy Conlin | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 2010 Election, ABC Iowa, ABC Michigan, Arizona, Arkansas, Ballot Initiative, California, Chula Vista, Editorial, Executive Order 13502, featured, Federal Construction, Federal Contracting, Idaho, Iowa, Kevin Dayton, local legislation, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Open Competition, PLA Basics, PLAs, PLAs are political payoffs to union leaders, PLAs Cut Competition, PLAs Discriminate, PLAs Increase Costs, Project Labor Agreements, State Executive Order, State Legislation, Tennessee, Utah, Wall Street Journal | Comments (3)

One is the Loneliest Number for a Michigan Congressman

June 27, 2011 – 9:22 am

One is the loneliest number for Michigan Congressman Thad McCotter (R), who last week gained the distinction of being the only Republican in the U.S. House or the Michigan Senate to vote in favor of wasteful and discriminatory government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) on public construction. The Mackinac Center for Public Policy covered this issue [...]

By Andy Conlin | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Brett McMahon, Executive Order 13502, Federal Construction, Mackinac Center, Michigan, Open Competition, PLAs, PLAs are political payoffs to union leaders, PLAs Cut Competition, PLAs Discriminate, PLAs Increase Costs, Project Labor Agreements, Radio Interview, Union-only PLAs harm local workers | Comments (0)

House to Vote on Critical Amendment Promoting Project Labor Agreements Today. Oppose LaTourette Amendment Striking Section 415 of H.R. 2055.

June 13, 2011 – 7:51 am

Today the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on the Military Construction (MilCon) and Veterans Affairs (VA) and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2012 (H.R. 2055). Section 415 of H.R. 2055 ensures fair and open competition on federal construction contracts funded by this legislation. Specifically, it will prevent federal agencies from requiring contractors to sign [...]

By Ben Brubeck | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Appropriations, Executive Order 13502, Federal Construction, Federal Contracting, Federal Legislation, H.R. 2055, House PLA Votes, Legislation, PLAs, PLAs are political payoffs to union leaders, President Obama, Project Labor Agreements, Rep. Flake, Rep. Guinta, Rep. LaTourette, Section 415, Take Action, US Army Corps of Engineers, Veterans Administration | Comments (3)

ABC Members Testify in Support of Legislation Restoring Fairness in Federal Contracting

June 7, 2011 – 11:32 am

On June 3, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and Procurement Reform Subcommittee held a hearing, “H.R. 735 and Project Labor Agreements: Restoring Competition and Neutrality to Government Construction Projects.” The subcommittee, chaired by Rep. James Lankford (R-Okla.), heard testimony about the negative impact of President Obama’s controversial Executive Order 13502 [...]

By Ben Brubeck | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged AGC, Beacon Hill Institute, Daniel Gordon, David G. Tuerck, Executive Order 13502, Federal Construction, Federal Contracting, GSA, Hearing, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and Procurement Reform Subcommittee, Kirby Wu, Massachusetts, Maury Baskin, Mike Kennedy, New Jersey, OMB, PLAs, President Obama, Project Labor Agreements, Rep. James Lankford, Rep. Mike Kelly, Rep. Tim Walberg, Sullivan, Susan Brita, Technology, The Government Neutrality in Contracting Act, U.S. House Hearing, Wall Street Journal, Washington DC | Comments (0)

Support Scalise Amdt. to H.R. 2017 to Stop Mandated PLAs

June 2, 2011 – 12:20 pm

Today the U.S. House of Representatives is considering the Homeland Security Appropriations Act for 2012 (H.R. 2017). Representative Steve Scalise (R-La.) is offering an amendment (#67) to the bill that would restore fair and open competition on federal construction projects funded by this appropriations bill by prohibiting funds from implementing or enforcing President Obama’s pro-project [...]

By Andy Conlin | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Executive Order 13502, Federal Construction, Federal Contracting, Federal Legislation, House PLA Votes, Legislation, PLAs, PLAs Increase Costs, President Obama, Project Labor Agreements, Take Action | Comments (0)

U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to Examine Costly Government-Mandated PLAs Again

June 1, 2011 – 3:16 pm

On Friday, June 3, at 9:30 AM, the Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and Procurement Reform Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will hold a hearing, “H.R. 735 and Project Labor Agreements: Restoring Competition and Neutrality to Government Construction Projects.” This hearing is the next step in the legislative process towards House passage [...]

By Andy Conlin | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Executive Order 13502, Federal Construction, Federal Contracting, Hearing, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, OMB Memo, Open Competition, PLAs, PLAs Cut Competition, President Obama, Project Labor Agreements, U.S. House Hearing, Union-only PLAs harm local workers | Comments (0)

House Appropriations Committee Prohibits Project Labor Agreement Mandates on Military Appropriations Construction

May 24, 2011 – 4:57 pm

Today the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations passed an important amendment for the Fiscal Year 2012 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Appropriations Act that will prohibit federal agencies from mandating anti-competitive and costly project labor agreements (PLAs) and discriminatory PLA preferences on projects funded by the bill. The amendment, offered by Rep. Jeff Flake [...]

By Ben Brubeck | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Appropriations, Arizona, Executive Order 13502, Federal Construction, Federal Contracting, PLAs, Project Labor Agreements, Rep. Flake, U.S. House Hearing | Comments (0)

USACE Issues PLA Surveys for Louisiana, Nebraska and Hawaii

May 12, 2011 – 11:06 am

The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) recently issued three surveys requesting information from the construction industry on potential project labor agreement (PLA) mandates for USACE construction projects in Louisiana, Nebraska and Hawaii. A May 4 survey issued by USACE asks for feedback on a PLA mandate for the VOLAR Barracks renovation in Fort Polk, Louisiana. [...]

By Ben Brubeck | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Executive Order 13502, Federal Construction, Federal Contracting, Fort Drum, Fort Hood, Fort Polk, Fort Shafter, Hawaii, Honolulu, Louisiana, Nebraska, New York, Offutt Air Force Base, Omaha, PLA survey, PLAs, President Obama, Project Labor Agreements, Take Action, Texas, US Army Corps of Engineers | Comments (0)