President Obama’s surprise announcement that the U.S. will seek to re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba after more than 50 years includes a call for increased exports of building materials for housing and, down the road, also could provide export opportunities for U.S. construction-equipment manufacturers, industry officials say.

Shortly before adjourning for the year, the Senate approved retroactive extensions for a $41.6-billion package of tax breaks, including incentives for heavy-equipment purchases and renewable-energy projects, but lawmakers failed to extend the federal backup program for terrorism risks.The Senate passed a tax “extenders” measure by a 76-16 vote late on Dec. 16, sending the bill to the White House for President Obama’s expected signature. The House had cleared the measure on Dec. 3 by a wide margin.The legislation puts back into effect for all of 2014 a group of breaks that expired at the end of last year.The Association of

Related Links: U.S. Attorney's Office press release on agreement, via FBI D.C. Cuts Forrester Payment by $1M Over MBE Joint Venture (enr.com 6/5/2013) [subscription] In a settlement with the federal government, Forrester Construction Co., Rockville, Md., has agreed to pay $2.15 million to resolve a criminal probe into alleged fraud concerning the firm’s use of small disadvantaged businesses on more than $145 million in contracts with the District of Columbia. Under a non-prosecution agreement, which federal officials announced on Dec. 15, Forrester admitted that it failed to abide by D.C.’s regulations concerning Certified Business Enterprises or CBEs. The government said

Related Links: Text of spending measure Senate Appropriations Committee summary of bill A $1.1-trillion spending package, which is headed to the White House for President Obama's expected signature, would fund most federal agencies through the rest of fiscal year 2015 and hold key construction programs at or near their 2014 levels. A major exception is military construction, which would suffer a deep cut.The huge bill, which the Senate approved 56-40 on Dec. 13 during an unusual late-night Saturday session, is mostly an omnibus measure to keep all agencies operating, including their construction programs, through next Sept. 30—except the Dept. of

Related Links: Text of Kline-Miller pension amendment Link to statements from contractor and union groups supporting the pension proposal Statement from LIUNA General President O'Sullivan opposing proposal Congress has approved legislation to revamp the multiemployer-pension program in an attempt to bolster plans that are in dire financial shape.The pension policy changes, which are part of a $1.1-trillion 2015 spending package the Senate passed late on Dec. 13, would allow sponsors of multiemployer plans in “critical and declining” condition to temporarily or permanently cut members’ vested benefits.It also would mandate a doubling in the annual per-member premiums the plans pay to

Related Links: Summary of House-passed tax "extenders" bill from Rules and Ways and Means Committees Link to open Joint Committee on Taxation revenue-impact estimate of House-passed bill Legislation to reinstate some expired tax breaks and extend other, soon-to-expire provisions has cleared the House and was awaiting final congressional action at ENR press time.Among the key construction-related provisions are a one-year extension of measures aimed at assisting ailing multiemployer pension plans. Multiemployer plans are common in unionized construction. Supporters of the extension include the laborers' union.The bill also would retroactively allow a tax credit for facilities that generate electricity from wind

A former Bechtel Corp. vice president has pleaded guilty to federal charges that he took $5.2 million in kickbacks on electric-power contracts in Egypt over a 15-year period, the Dept. of Justice has said.Asem Elgawhary, 73, a former Bechtel principal vice president, pleaded guilty on Dec. 4 in federal district court in Greenbelt, Md., to one count each of mail fraud, conspiracy to engage in money laundering and interfering with administration of tax laws.Elgawhary’s attorney did not immediately reply to an ENR request for comment.DOJ said that, from 1996 to 2011, Elgawhary was general manager of Power Generation Engineering and

Related Links: BLS employment report for November 2014, with data tables AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson's statement, analysis ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu's statement, analysis Construction’s November unemployment rate rose from October’s level but was markedly better than the year-earlier figure, as the industry gained 20,000 jobs, the Labor Dept. reported.The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics monthly employment analysis, released on Dec. 5, showed that construction’s jobless rate increased to 7.5% in November, from October’s 6.4%.But last month’s rate improved from the November 2013 mark of 8.6%, and was the industry's lowest November number in seven years,  BLS reported.Weather may

Related Links: EPA proposed regulation for ground-level ozone (signed 11/26/14 EPA press release on proposed ground-level ozone (smog) standard The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a tougher standard for levels of ground-level ozone, or smog, contending that the change will prevent hundreds of premature deaths and tens of thousands of asthma attacks.Environmental groups and their congressional allies praised the proposal, but leading Republican lawmakers strongly criticized the plan.The proposal, which EPA Administration Gina McCarthy signed on Nov. 26, would trim the ozone limit to a range of 65 to 70 parts per billion (ppb), from the current level of 75

Related Links: White House transcript of Obama's address on immigration executive order President Obama has announced that he will issue an executive order that would prevent millions of immigrants now in the U.S. illegally from being deported, but only temporarily and if they meet certain conditions, including registering with the government, passing a background check and paying what he termed their “fair share of taxes.”The directive, which Obama announced on Nov. 20 in an evening address to the nation, also provides deportation protection only to those who have been in the U.S. for more than five years and those who